


What Drives Us To Celebrate

by freshlybakedspiderbread



Category: Touhou Project
Genre: F/F, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-15
Updated: 2019-09-15
Packaged: 2020-10-18 23:34:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 27,519
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20647529
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/freshlybakedspiderbread/pseuds/freshlybakedspiderbread
Summary: Even though Soga no Tojiko thought everything would be better when her allies returned to her side, she still feels neither satisfied nor at peace. However, when she finds out that the Crown Prince's birthday is coming up soon, she resolves to find it in her to celebrate the occasion. Tojiko struggles with that, while also making peace with those closest to her.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> My first publicly published piece of fan-fiction, and it would naturally have to be one of the dearest things to my heart, Touhou Project. I hope anyone who chooses to read this or any future pieces of mine will enjoy it!
> 
> Extra Note: I want to especially thank Shidi from tumblr/discord for some initial proofreading of the first half.

_ The image of her face came to me, and she looked at me with such sad eyes. The thought of her being concerned for my well-being secretly makes me happy. As I was laying on her lap, I looked up at her face, radiant with the sun shining from behind. _

_ “Are you alright, Tojiko?” Her voice was gentle, but it also sounded rugged, no doubt from all her troubles. _

_ “Crown Prince… I am fine.” I responded quickly, but even I knew how fake it sounded. Also, I didn’t refer to her by name out loud. Did I ever at any point in my life? _

_ “I’m afraid I cannot believe that.” I remember the feeling of her hand stroking my cheek. Did she do it just then? “But I can hear it, you know… The doubt in your heart.” _

_ “No! How can you say that...” I raised my head in a panic, and quickly closed the distance between us. I was standing up now, so either I had gotten to my feet quickly or I wasn’t actually lying down after all. That wasn’t important. _

_ “Even if you say that, I can hear your conflicting desires, and thus, the regrets and doubts pouring out.” _

_ “Please, listen to my words instead! I told you I would follow you even if- _

_ “But that was before you watched Futo die right before your eyes.” Miko said, cutting me off. “She seemed so troubled before passing... I won’t blame you at all, if such a grisly sight has given you second thoughts-” _

_ I could see Futo then and there, lying on the floor. I couldn’t bear to look at her face any longer, so instead I looked to how her hand twitched until it finally stopped moving, before my eyes slowly went back to the expression on her face- _

_ No, that was another time. I tried to focus back on that conversation with Miko. _

_ “No!” I had shouted in response, my voice close to breaking into a sob, before latching on and burying my head into their chest. It was more to reassure myself than to her. “I’ll do it… I have to. We’ll enter a new life together as shikaisen.” _

_ “But you’re afraid. So afraid that your heart won’t stop racing.” She said with such heaviness to her tone. I remember her always being weighed down by her troubles, troubles that surely eclipsed my own. _

_ “I’m not afraid.” Of course I was afraid, but going back on my decision wasn’t an option. It was impossible to consider. I couldn’t look at Miko in the eye right now, but I kept speaking with increasing desperation.  _

_ I could feel Miko’s warm tears flowing down to me. ...No, I’ve never seen her cry, have I? That must have been my own tears then. _

_ “All that matters, is that I’m with you. I don’t need anything else to be happy!” _

-

“...I’m sure that’s not what I said.” Tojiko said aloud to herself as she snapped back to reality, which consisted of her floating along the side of the walls of the dojo. How much of what she just visualised was actual memory or her own fantasy, she could never tell for sure.

“ _ Even if I wanted to, I wouldn’t have been so honest with her… _ ” She crossed her arms and let out a sigh as she looked over to the scenery before her. 

Here in Senkai, the secret world for hermits, the pavement didn’t often get very dirty, and along with the clear skies where weather was never anything other than pleasantly neutral, it was like the world itself was as ageless as the hermits who occupied it… or lifeless like a ghost such as herself.

The building they all occupied was a dojo built around the mausoleum, the same mausoleum that all of them had first awoken in after the end of their previous mortal lives. Through an impressive feat of the mystical arts, the entire mausoleum had been moved into Senkai, and the dojo built around it now served as a home for them.

Her name is Soga no Tojiko. Even now, she was afraid she would forget her own name if she didn’t remind herself of it every now and then. Memories had been a fickle thing for her, ever since she awoke as a ghost. When she first opened her eyes in that dark tomb within the mausoleum, she barely had any sense of her surroundings or who she was.

It must have taken days before she remembered her own name, and then the names of the two ‘sleeping’ bodies that were there with her, Toyosatomimi no Miko and Mononobe no Futo. The rest of her memories of her life in an ancient Japan came in vague, scattered pieces as time passed.

During the thousand or so years she spent in that dark tomb, Tojiko spent a lot of time trying to search her own memory of her living days. A lot of the gaps however, have since been replaced entirely by the images her mind conjured in place of them. 

For example, she knew Miko had a different appearance in the past, a much more masculine one at that, but when she tried to recall anything in the past involving the Crown Prince, she could only picture Miko’s current face in her memories. That wasn’t really a problem at all though, Tojiko thought Miko looked far more radiant than ever before regardless.

It was still a bit annoying though, that whenever Tojiko thought she was musing to herself about her past… she really had no way of knowing how much exactly was her past or simply a creation of her imagination. Spending all that time in darkness, all she ever did was reminisce about what might have been the past, and dreaming of what the future would be like. It isn’t as if she ever had anything else to do all that time, since Tojiko couldn’t bring herself to ever leave or wander far from the mausoleum itself.

In the present though, she often snapped herself out of it before telling herself that there was no point to wondering about the past. None of that mattered now. Even if she occasionally had a ‘flashback’ that might not have been a flashback, Tojiko wanted to focus on the present and only the present.

It has been only a little over a month since Miko and Futo awakened fully as shikaisen, and when all three of them found themselves having arrived in this strange land known as Gensokyo. It was such a rush of activity at the time. There was barely any time for any of them to take in their new surroundings before they were visited by an angry shrine maiden, a troublesome witch, another even more eccentric shrine maiden, and a ‘half-phantom’ wielding two swords. Tojiko still wasn’t sure what a ‘half-phantom’ even was, but that person was at least the most polite of the four.

After that whole mess, Miko wasted no time making an effort to adjust to this new land. She was brilliant like that, thinking up new ways to establish their own living space and setting up her plans of ambition, towards improving both the land and the people in it. It was hard not to get swept along with the Crown Prince’s charisma. 

...So easy to just go about doing things for Miko’s sake, in fact, that Tojiko just kept telling herself that she always had much to do. She convinced herself that she was too busy to ever simply sit down and talk to the Crown Prince or anybody else past exchanging brief greetings every day.

Maybe that was why it was easy for Tojiko to put off other less-important things she often thought of doing, but didn’t bother to, such as…. 

Such as asking any of her colleagues to verify or rectify her jumbled memories of her past life. Or to leaving to explore Gensokyo on her own. ...Or maybe taking vengeance out on the person who killed her.

“I’m not much of a vengeful spirit, am I?” Tojiko asked herself as she leaned back against the building’s wall. The wispy tails that made up her legs were always floating above the floor, so the change in position did little to help her relax.

Tojiko scanned the mausoleum grounds again, idly floating across the perimeter of the dojo. Maybe it could use another sweep after all? Or maybe she should spend some more time refining her craft in the kitchen again, since she preferred it when she was preparing the meals in favour of Futo or their  _ other _ frequent occupant. Surely, there was always  _ something _ for her to do that made her too busy to really sit down with any of her colleagues for the first time in over a millennium.

When she came around a corner, that’s when she heard a familiar voice from inside a nearby room. Peeking into the open door frame, she could see Miko in the midst of talking to a few of her newest followers who had been invited to their dojo.

“-So you see, you too can achieve perfection like myself, by seeking harmony with the Tao.” Miko’s words were fervent and passionate. The people listening were naturally captivated, and Tojiko smiled at that.

Tojiko moved away and headed to a more secluded part of the dojo as her thoughts lingered on Miko, who now always spoke without any troubles in her heart or any weight on her shoulders. As she stared ahead at the small grassy field in front of the dojo, she wondered why she couldn’t do the same.

She must have been staring at nothing for longer than she realised, because she was taken completely by surprise when a voice called out from right beside her.

“You look really focused on the grass.” Miko had appeared from around a corner, speaking up while Tojiko was seemingly staring off into space.

“Crown Prince...” Even when it was just the two of them, Tojiko addressed Miko with that title, the same as Futo did. She noted that violet and white dress that Miko wore, and once again thought to herself about how she couldn’t remember a time when her beloved Crown Prince wasn’t so charmingly stylish and feminine in appearance. 

“At least, I don’t see what else in that direction that you could be so engrossed with.”

“I was just… in my own world, my apologies.” Tojiko admitted, lowering her head out of embarrassment. 

“No need to apologise! I’m sorry if I surprised you. A part of me actually wanted to wait to see how long it might take you to notice I was here.” Miko leaned against the wall next to Tojiko, and spoke to her in that relaxed and informal way that the ghost… had a hard time reciprocating.

“That would be even more embarrassing for me, so I’m glad you didn’t.” Tojiko said, her tone more stiff than she would have liked.

“I haven’t seen you around very much though, so I might not be able to help but to mess with you on occasion.” Miko wore a smile that was more cheeky than any expression Tojiko ever remembered from her living days. “I know that’s partially my fault though.”

“Don’t say that. Guiding followers, establishing Taoism in this land… I’m sure it all keeps you busy.” All the while she had been speaking, Tojiko kept a straight posture as she floated in place, her hands neatly in front of her. 

When was the last time Tojiko managed to speak casually to Miko? It was frustrating, since if the two of them were as close as Tojiko remembered, she would have managed to relax around Miko in the past all the time.

...Then Tojiko further wondered if maybe she had only ever been formal like this around Miko, and that’s why it was so hard to do otherwise? She found that to be a depressing thought.

“It does, but it’s not like it’s been too difficult. Sometimes, all I have to do to win over the hearts of people is to speak my mind and display my brilliance only once.” Miko made a show of throwing up her hands in a shrug as she shamelessly boasted.

“No need to be modest…” Despite her words, seeing Miko like this made Tojiko smile. “It’s impressive to me too, so it’s perfectly understandable if you’re often occupied.”

“Well, it’s not like I’m occupied all the time.” Miko said with a shrug of her shoulders. “Besides, I wanted to make sure you’re doing alright.”

“Me? I’m perfectly fine.” Tojiko responded quickly, but even she thought it sounded a little forced. “Nothing to worry about.” 

“I…” Miko hesitated for a second, though her bright expression didn’t waver. “...Well, even if you say that, I might choose to be concerned anyway, if that’s alright.”

Tojiko didn’t say anything at first. Was there something to be concerned about? Tojiko tried to think of that from Miko’s perspective… and started to think about how much or how little she truly knew about how Miko thinks.

Toyosatomimi no Miko, Prince Shotoku, the Crown Prince and probably five other titles all just as grand. It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that for most of Tojiko’s living existence, Miko was the most important person in her life. So much so that when she heard of Miko’s intention to become a shikaisen and surpass mortality, Tojiko knew that she could only be happy by following Miko down that same path for eternity. 

However, it didn’t quite turn out that smoothly. The ritual to become hermits involved transferring their soul to a special object of their choosing. The jar Tojiko had picked out for herself had been switched out by Futo, in an act that could only have been intended to destroy her forever. Thus the process failed for Tojiko alone and resulted in her death. 

But that didn’t matter now. Tojiko remained in this world as a spirit, which she told herself was just as well as being immortal, and had chosen to put aside any grudges against Futo for now. She didn’t have any regrets regarding her decision to follow Miko for eternity.

...At least, she’s fairly certain she didn’t have any regrets.

“...Sorry about that.” Miko apologised, and Tojiko then realised she had simply gone silent for several long seconds. “That was probably a strange thing to say out of the blue, but before any of my followers, I need to look after those closest to me first. And lately… I feel as if I’ve not been doing a good job of that.”

“I think you’ve been doing fine.” Tojiko blinked at Miko, wondering what she was referring to. “Are you referring to Futo? Did she act out again recently?”

“No, she thankfully hasn’t tried to set Myouren Temple on fire again...” Miko said with a sheepish smile and a reassuring wave of her hand. “But I can tell it’s not just her who’s having trouble adjusting to things.”

“That’s a generous way of describing her inclination for arson-” Tojiko had started to make a snarky remark about Futo, before realising midway what Miko was implying. “...Wait, not  _ just _ her? I’m not going to suddenly go bringing lightning down on any youkai temples if that’s what you’re worried about.”

“No, no, that’s not what I meant at all.” Miko said with a lighthearted laugh, as if the image of Tojiko going on a rampage too was somehow an amusing one. “I just meant… it’s obvious that you’re having a hard time feeling comfortable here, even if you’re more subtle about it than Futo is.”

“That… might be true. It might just be the new environment that I’m not used to.” It wouldn’t have been surprising if that was the case, considering she had spent so much of her time in the same place. 

Up until Miko and Futo woke up, the scenery Tojiko knew best every day was the dark tomb deep inside the mausoleum where minutes, hours and years blended interchangeably, all of which passed while Tojiko waited for her allies to resurrect. There were periods of time when she might have fallen into a sort of trance, and time would pass without her realising. But regardless, it often felt like she was waiting for an eternity, which it might as well have been.

The furthest she ever wandered from that crypt was on rare occasions where she thought to circle the walls as far on a whim, or when she thought they were under attack. Of course, the only thing ever ‘attacking’ them were rats and insects.

It was a situation of her own doing, Tojiko reminded herself. She probably could have left and gone elsewhere on her own during that period of time, but the thought of leaving Miko’s side… she would have rather faced isolation and even madness. It might not have been rational, but it was her decision. She might have actually went mad once, and probably would have done so more times or lost herself entirely if not for one person who chose to appear before her…

...She shook her head of that thought for now, before addressing Miko again. “Thank you for worrying. I just need time, which we all have plenty of now.”

“Of course. If you ever need anything, you can let me know.” Miko gave Tojiko that smile again, not the brilliant smile of a prince, but one filled with care for her. Of course, there was a slight conceited tint to it when she said her next sentence. “You already know I’m an amazing listener.”

“Right...” Tojiko found herself smirking in turn, she certainly didn’t mind that conceited or smug side of Miko either.

“Right.” So far so good, Miko thought. A lot of her conversations with Tojiko lately have been far too sparse with too little words shared between them. Before anything else, she really wanted Tojiko to just talk more, not unlike how they used to in their old lives.

“Though honestly… I don’t think there’s anything I feel like sharing.” The problem was that lately, Tojiko seemed to not have much to say to Miko.

“That’s fine. I just want you to know that you can always come to me-” Miko said, reaching out to place a hand on Tojiko’s shoulder. “-whenever you have any worries, or doubts in your heart.”

Those last few words just about made the ghost flinch.  _ “The doubt in your heart.”  _

“ _ I don’t _ , and would never-!” Tojiko exclaimed in a rush. It was barely loud enough to be considered shouting, but compared to the relatively impassive tone she had before, the change was immediately noticeable, given the surprised look Miko had. 

“Tojiko…?” She asked, blinking in confusion at Tojiko who had suddenly tensed up and was now floating a step away.

“I mean…” She made a weak effort to resume her previous composure as if nothing had happened. “I don’t… have any doubts. That’s all.”

“I didn’t mean it as an accusation or anything-”

“I-I know. ...I know.” Tojiko turned away from Miko, embarrassed and ashamed at how awkward she just made the atmosphere. “...I have a lot on my mind, that’s all.”

“Do you think it’ll help to speak of it?” Miko asked carefully, moving closer beside Tojiko. “It doesn’t have to be right this moment, just… whenever you feel like.”

“...Thank you, truly. But I’ll handle it.” It might have been too late to reassure that all was well, but Tojiko tried to give a smile to Miko before she floated away. Said smile probably didn’t look very convincing, but she quickly made herself scarce regardless.

The ghost didn’t look back as she floated away, only then realising she forgot to give a proper excuse for just leaving like that. Where was she even going, other than anywhere to avoid a conversation she probably wasn’t ready for? She didn’t know, she was just going to keep floating away.

Miko didn’t feel good about leaving things be, but she thought it better to hold off forcing any conversations between her and Tojiko until she came up with a better idea. All of them were still adjusting to Gensokyo in their own way, so she wanted to trust that Tojiko would find her own way soon.

She let out a sigh, before looking ahead at the grass field, musing to herself about her troubled colleagues. “I wish you could be more honest to yourself about your desires, Tojiko.”

-

Tojiko floated to the far corner of the dojo’s exterior, still not wanting to go inside lest she run into anybody else again. She simply wanted to stew in her thoughts along for a little longer, not caring how blatantly she was acting like a loner.

“What is wrong with me? Who am I trying to fool?” Tojiko grumbled despondently to herself. It was obvious to her that she was avoiding both Miko and everyone really, and it was probably obvious to them too. 

‘ _ I spent so long waiting for them to wake up. Now they’re finally here, so why can’t I talk to them? Even to Miko… It can’t be because I’m having regrets about being here, can it? It absolutely can’t be that. _ ”

Tojiko clutched her head and scratched at her hair with both hands, wanting to know why was it that even though she was no longer in that dark tomb, she felt more stuck in place than ever before. As much as Tojiko didn’t want to admit it, she might have gotten too used to the ‘routine’ from her time in darkness and solitude, as if she had forgotten how to otherwise act outside of it.

What kept her going more than anything during that time waiting for her colleagues, was the fantasies she conjured for herself, of how she would celebrate the Crown Prince’s resurrection, and how it would be joyous enough to make up for everything that had come before it. ...And as of now, she was still waiting.

Tojiko slumped her shoulders, chuckling sardonically at herself. “Hah… Don’t tell me among the memories I lost, I also just forgot how to be happy? How pitiful would that be...”

She then wondered what would she do if these feelings of her wouldn’t change naturally over time. What if those stirring feelings of ennui never went away. Perhaps it was more than just her physical body that died with her back then, but something inside her as well. Perhaps whatever part of her that would have made her cry tears of happiness when she heard Miko’s voice again, had died and didn’t come back with the rest of her spirit.

In the midst of all these thoughts, Tojiko had wandered deeper inside the dojo and the mausoleum without really thinking. It occurred to her that she was headed towards the tombs where Miko and Futo had been sleeping, the place where Tojiko had settled herself for many a century.

‘ _ ...Is haunting that place all I know how to do anymore? _ ’ Tojiko thought with a resigned sigh as she stopped in the middle of one of the dojo’s halls. She really didn’t want to return to that room again, and a part of that was because she didn’t know if she would ever leave again if she did return.

Gritting her teeth, Tojiko turned around and stormed towards the dojo’s exit once more. Or at least as much as one could storm out when they floated everywhere. She hated stewing in these lousy, contradictory feelings. She was going to go anywhere but here and take her mind off things. Maybe she will give the grounds an extra sweep after all, or maybe she’ll just enact vengeance like a proper vengeful spirit should and zap Futo with some lightning. Either option was more appealing to Tojiko at the moment than wallowing without purpose.

Upon exiting the dojo again, she turned a corner and just barely stopped before bumping into someone.

“Oh, excuse-” Tojiko turned around just as the other person stopped as well, and paused at the sight before her.

It was the jiang-shi, Yoshika Miyako. The undead girl’s unique clothing and deathly pale skin made her hard to miss. Yoshika had appeared before all of them multiple times before, and her morbid appearance was already something Tojiko was fairly used to.

No, what made Tojiko pause was the fact that Yoshika had a very large sack tied to her back, almost larger than herself. Frankly, Yoshika looked fairly ridiculous in how she was able to stand perfectly straight with her arms stretched forward, despite the comically large sack hanging on her back.

“Good morning.” Yoshika said with a neutral expression as she looked up at the ghost. Her eyes were never quite as lifeless as Tojiko expected them to be.

“It’s afternoon, actually.” Tojiko responded flatly, looking over the jiang-shi suspiciously. “What, uh… do you have there?”

“It’s top secret.” Yoshika said without missing a beat, and apparently believing that to be all the explanation required, attempted to walk past Tojiko.

“Hold on a moment.” Tojiko simply floated in front of Yoshika again, crossing her arms and narrowing her eyes at the jiang-shi. “If it involves who I think it does, I’d feel better if you could elaborate.”

“Elaborate?” Yoshika tilted her head for a moment as she thought about it. Or at least, Tojiko assumed the face Yoshika made meant she was thinking. “...It’s top secret.”

“...Ugh.” Tojiko rolled her eyes, more at herself than anything for trying to converse with the jiang-shi. “I wonder if you can even comprehend what a secret is.”

“Now now, Miss Tojiko…” A familiar voice spoke in a coy tone from somewhere above, and Tojiko need not even look at the source before sighing in exasperation. If not for the voice, then the shadow along the ground was unmistakable given the silhouette of that long wavy cloth and that hairstyle. “There’s no need to be mean to Yoshika.”

Tojiko turned around and met the other person with a preemptively annoyed expression. Of course, if Yoshika was around, then  _ she  _ had to be close as well. “I just had some questions, which I know I’m better off asking you. ...And please don’t just say it’s ‘top secret’ or something too.”

Seiga Kaku landed gently on the ground a few feet from Tojiko, and Yoshika wordlessly moved beside her, where she received a pat on the head from the hermit. “But what if it truly was a secret? I don’t pry into what business you get up to everyday, after all.” She asked with that ever-present affable smile that Tojiko was very familiar with.

“I’m naturally going to be concerned when I see your servant moving around with all that here.” Tojiko began sternly. “You’re already barely present around here as is, so I’d hope you didn’t show up only to cause trouble.”

“Hey, I hope you’re not implying I’m not doing my part around here.” Seiga said, bringing a hand to her chest as she pretended to be offended for all of a second or two. “I’ll concede I couldn’t hope to match your own devotion.”

“I… That’s right.” Tojiko didn’t really have a response to that, especially since she was questioning her own ‘devotion’ just a few minutes earlier. ...But hearing that made her want to reaffirm it, not necessarily to Seiga, but to herself. “I waited for the Crown Prince all that time, after all.”

“Oh, I’m well aware. I’m sure she must have slept more peacefully with your presence.” Though Seiga said it with the same jovial tone as everything else, her sarcasm was very clear to Tojiko. After all, she still recalled from that time in darkness the multiple occasions that Seiga tried to convince her to try and leave the mausoleum to go elsewhere, anywhere else. 

In fact, when it came to Seiga Kaku, that was when Tojiko’s memories felt the most vivid and trustworthy, no doubt because Seiga was the only living person Tojiko was ever able to speak to during all those centuries of her isolation. For how ambiguous her memories of her previous life was, her memories that involved Seiga stood out all too clear.

“Anyway…” Seiga continued. “I just dropped by to have Yoshika store some things inside the dojo. Our little Senkai is very convenient like that.”

“This place isn’t just to be your storeroom, so don’t go overboard in leaving your junk around.”

“If you or anybody else never sees it, then what’s the problem?” Seiga then gestured for Yoshika to go on, prompting the jiang-shi to walk past Tojiko and into the dojo as the hermit kept talking. “It’s basically my home too, even if I admit I don’t occupy it very often. ...Oh wait, is this your roundabout way of telling me that you wished you could see me more often?”

Tojiko didn’t feel like dignifying that question by getting annoyed. “As long as it doesn’t trouble anyone, I don’t care what you do and where you go. I’ll take care of things and the Crown Prince whether you’re here or not.”

“Wound me twice in one day, why don’t you?” Seiga again clutched her heart. “I’ll have you know I’ve actually been working on something to surprise dear Miss Toyosatomimi.”

‘ _ Still with ‘Miss’? Even ‘Lady Toyosatomimi’ would have been better! _ ’ Tojiko tried to ignore how casually Seiga referred to Miko for now, and focused on what she was saying. “A surprise?”

“That’s right! You know, since the two of us care about her so much…” Seiga closed the distance between them and placed herself right in front of Tojiko, who was tempted to push her back. “...I think I can trust you in on my top secret project.”

“I’m-...” Tojiko was about to claim she wasn’t interested. Somehow, she had a feeling that whatever Seiga had to say was going to be something inane… but at the same time, Tojiko would probably have less stress throughout the day if she knew what Seiga and her undead servant were up to. Plus, she was honestly just curious. 

“Ah, I can tell you’re really curious!”

“I didn’t say that! ...But you’re right that I do care about the Crown Prince. I don’t know if she’d be thrilled with being surprised by you though.”

“Don’t say that.” Seiga said before finally putting some distance between them. “How else would you do a birthday celebration?” 

“...Huh?” Tojiko blinked at that for several seconds. “Wait, birth… Day? The Crown Prince’s?” 

“Yes? She turns one-thousand, four-hundred and thirty-eight years old only two days from now. Though I’m not sure she’s aware of that. She only reawakened a short time ago, so her sense of date and time is probably still a bit lagging. Ah, but I’m sure that will just add to the surprise.”

“I hadn’t realised… I didn’t even know what date it was today.” Tojiko lowered her eyes as she thought about how she hadn’t bothered to keep track of the date or seasons. She really ought to start again. “And… you said you’re going to celebrate it?”

“That’s right.” Seiga nodded, before giving Tojiko a quizzical look. “...Oh, that’s right. Birthday celebrations are a more modern invention than you are all used to.” 

“Is it? We celebrated the birth of all people on New Years. Is it not the same thing as that?”

“Not really, though what I’m working on isn’t really a ‘standard’ birthday celebration either. I don’t plan to make it an annual event or anything, but I figured since this was Miss Toyosatomimi’s first birthday in her new life as a hermit, then it’s basically a once-in-a-lifetime event, right? So I feel like it’s a good excuse to do something unconventional just this once.”

“As if you aren't typically doing ‘unconventional’ things… But I do think that makes sense.” Tojiko nodded along. Celebrating Miko’s first milestone of sorts in this new life sounded exactly like what Tojiko wanted to be doing herself. It might be a good reminder of why she was here in the first place. “How are you going to celebrate it?”

“Curious, aren’t you? Well, I’ll let you be just as surprised as she’ll be.” 

After she said that, they both noticed Yoshika coming out of the dojo again and taking her place beside Seiga.

“Look forward to it soon.” Seiga said with a shrug of her hands, already beginning to turn around away from Tojiko. “Let’s head out, Yoshika.”

Tojiko however, couldn’t let the matter go then and there, and caught up to Seiga quickly “Wait!” 

“Hmm?” Seiga stopped and turned to Tojiko once more as she approached her. At the same time, Yoshika simply proceeded to march onwards until she was out of sight.

“I should… I mean I was just thinking, I should certainly have a part in this?” Or rather, she felt like she  _ needed _ to be a part of it. “Nobody is more interested in celebrating her brilliance than myself after all.”

“Eeeeeh, I don’t know. I was thinking it would be a personal thing from her most important person, her beloved teacher who set her on this path to begin with, you know?”

“I just think…” Tojiko continued, suddenly uncertain in how invested she is in arguing this point. “I would feel strange if I wasn’t also celebrating the occasion. It’s like you said… Her first birthday in this new life… practically a once-in-a-lifetime event.”

“Hmm… I should have known you’d see it the same way as me.” Seiga sounded a little proud of that. “Even then, and I mean nothing against you when I say this, I don’t think I’ll get much out of asking for your assistance on this. The celebration I have in mind is very much a ‘Nyan Nyan’-flavoured one.”

“I’m not looking to assist you!” It was hard not to take the hermit’s words as an insult. “And knowing your vulgar senses, the Crown Prince would much prefer a So-…” 

“Yes…?” Seiga asked, tilting her head when Tojiko stopped mid-sentence.

Tojiko very nearly said ‘ _ a Soga-flavoured one instead _ ’, which would have been too embarrassing to take back. “...She’d prefer something planned by someone who’s been by her side since the beginning.”

“Does that not also apply to me? And that would have to include Mononobe too. Honestly, I almost feel like you’re trying to start a competition between us. Which I’m not against, mind you-”

“Seiga.” Tojiko said all of a sudden, louder than before and cutting off Seiga. Without realising it, her fists were clenched by her sides and the look in her eyes more intense. When she spoke again, the tone in her voice was a desperate one. “Listen to me.”

“...I’m listening?”

“I don’t know how to properly put this into words… but I feel like I need to do this, to celebrate her birthday. I need to show her that I care.”

Seiga didn’t say anything, only contemplating Tojiko’s words.

‘ _ I need to prove to everybody that I care, that nothing makes me happier than the thought of spending eternity with Miko. _ ’ Even though Tojiko said those words in her mind resolutely, even she knew that the person she wanted to prove to most was herself.

Half a second of silence passed, and Tojiko realised that Seiga was staring at her with a small smile.

‘ _ Oh no _ .’ That was Tojiko’s first thought, upon realising that she let herself sound desperate in front of Seiga. Now the wicked hermit was no doubt either going to endlessly make fun of her it, or make some ridiculous request of Tojiko as a fee, or-

“Okay.” Seiga said, clasping her hands together. “Let’s do our best together.”

“Huh? Uh... What?” Tojiko blinked at Seiga, not quite following.

“I still want to do an extravagant celebration the way only I can, but I think adding a touch of ‘Soga’ flavour would only make Miss Toyosatomimi all the happier. You’re thinking the same, right?”

“I might be.” Tojiko definitely was, wishing Seiga didn’t phrase it that way. Even so, she couldn’t help but apprehensive about agreeing readily to anything Seiga said, but now that she was already headed this direction... 

“Seiga…” Tojiko spoke up in the middle of her contemplation. “...What does a birthday celebration typically look like?” It was as Seiga had said. Such a concept wasn’t really apparent back when Tojiko was alive, especially not in the way Seiga was implying.

“Hmm… I could answer that, but instead of focusing on what is considered ‘typical’ or ‘standard’, I think we should just focus on what we want to do on our own. Wouldn’t you agree?”

“...I suppose so. I’’l think about what I want to do too.” Tojiko nodded, not entirely convinced, but she liked the general sound of what she was hearing.

“Wonderful. Tell you what, I’ll show you first-hand some of the things I have in store. Give me some time to make sure Yoshika doesn’t swallow any of the tools and I’ll show you tonight? In the meantime, you can start thinking about what it is that you want to do.”

Before Tojiko replied, Seiga quickly leaned in very close, her expression widening into a bright grin.

“And if you ever get stuck, you can count on your dear Miss Seiga for advice. Don’t forget that, okaaaay?”

“Don’t count on that!” Tojiko was just as quick to stretch out her arms and push the hermit back. “I’ll see for myself how worthwhile your plans are!”

“Oh, then I very much look forward to your assessment! See you later, Miss Tojiko.” Seiga gave a wave farewell before taking flight and moving out of sight.

Tojiko was left on her own again, with a lot of new thoughts to stir on. This time though, she had decidedly more purpose and hope, compared to the doubts she was dealing with just earlier in the day.

‘ _ I can do this. Nobody is happier to be beside Miko than I am. I know it, and I’ll make sure she knows it too! _ ’

For the first time since arriving in this strange land known as Gensokyo, Tojiko was filled with a new drive, something she could dedicate every fiber of her being to. That, Tojiko thought with a modest smile, was almost something worth celebrating as well.


	2. Chapter 2

_ She looked exactly how I always remembered her, even her clothes looked the same as I remembered. Even though everything about my living days was a blur to me on the best of days, I knew how much I didn’t trust her.  _

_ I don’t remember if it was her third or fourth time visiting, and I had no way of knowing whether it had been seven days since her previous visit, or seven years. _

_ “You poor, poor girl.” Seiga’s wicked smile and voice felt like it was absolutely dripping in the deadliest of venoms. “Chained to your Prince’s side and unable to set yourself free… Perhaps I should do you a favour and set your lost soul free?” _

_ “I am not lost! And I don’t want any help from you. You vile witch. Vile... Vile... Vile...” I definitely wasn’t in the best state of mind at the time, and it wasn’t even the worse I remember being in. _

_ “Every bit as stubborn as you were in life, I see. Miss Toyosatomimi will be sad if she wakes up to be greeted by a mindless, deplorable spirit, you know?” _

_ How badly I wanted to lash out, either with words or with lightning, but I failed to muster either at the time. _

_ “Gosh, you are sad. Come on, it’s time you left this place.” Seiga said, looking down at me her hand outstretched towards me. _

_ “What…?” _

_ “I can open a hole in any walls if you can’t pass through on your own. I’m sure you’re in dire need of some fresh air.” _

_ “...I can’t leave. I told you that already.” That was something I knew in the core of my being that I would not negotiate. _

_ “That again? Stop thinking about it and just take my hand, before you truly deteriorate into nothing down here. That would be a great waste.” _

_ “I’m serious. I made up my mind.” _

_ “Don’t you miss the sky? Or seeing the stars? Let dear Nyan Nyan be your liberator.” _

_ “Those things… don’t matter to me.” _

_ “Then you must have forgotten what they looked like. You might change your mind once you’ve taken a look, you know?” _

_ “I meant what I said…” _

_ “Are you that determined to rot away? It makes little difference to me, but it’s just above here. You just need to reach for it, if you have any will of your own left.” _

“I… I shouldn’t leave.” Tojiko said quietly, with a hint of worry to her voice. “I mean, I think I shouldn’t have left.”

It was still loud enough for Seiga to hear. “You’re thinking that now? The place we’re headed is just above here!” 

Tojiko looked ahead as she and Seiga ascended a flight of stairs, with Yoshika following from behind.

When Seiga came back to Senkai, Tojiko hadn’t come to any new conclusions on her own. So when the hermit offered to further discuss the matter, while also showing off what she was working on, Tojiko saw little reason to refuse. So that was how Tojiko followed Seiga out of of Senkai and through a nondescript part of a forest, with Yoshika accompanying. It was already late evening, and Tojiko only needed to look up to see the night sky filled with stars shining brightly. 

She wondered for just a brief moment, if she did see these stars a long time ago, maybe she would have chosen to follow Seiga out of that tomb. She quickly moved on from those thoughts though.

Though she wouldn’t admit it, Tojiko was found herself feeling just a little bit excited, something she hadn’t felt in a long time. It certainly wasn’t at the prospect of spending time with Seiga, but rather just from having some kind of goal in her mind.

Ever since she was told about Miko’s upcoming birthday earlier, Tojiko’s usual scattered thoughts of her former life had faded for now in favour of fantasizing about how she’ll be celebrating the Crown Prince’s being and glory. 

Tojiko thought about the look on Miko’s face when she finally reassures her that she’s happy to be by her side now and forever. Then Tojiko thought about how the look on her own face, and how nice it would be to smile so sincerely. 

...The last part of that was enough removed from reality that it made Tojiko snap back to paying attention to what was in front of her, which was a large cemetery. Specifically, a wide-open clearing in the cemetery among the graves.

“Is… this where you meant for us to go?” Tojiko asked, looking around and feeling just a little uncertain all of a sudden. She noticed that Yoshika had at some point had either lagged behind or stopped somewhere behind them, since she was no longer in sight. “Also, I think your servant got lost along the way.”

“Of course this is the place.” Seiga turned around to face Tojiko. “And don’t worry about Yoshika, she’s just guarding the entrance. Since this is a private and personal project, I’d want to make sure nobody would walk in on me while I think to myself or plan things out.”

“But why a graveyard?” Tojiko was so far failing to see how the scenery around them would be productive to something as cheerful-sounding as birthday plans.

“It’s simultaneously a nearby location with lots of open space to lay out as many things as I will need, and it has very few living beings that pass by. An ideal combination.” Seiga explained, gesturing to the open space around them. “There might rarely be someone who comes this way, but it’s much more scarce compared to any hillside or grass patch. A lot easier for Yoshika to ward them off in that case.”

“...You know anybody who comes this way is probably intending to pay respects to one of the graves, right?”

“Probably.” Seiga replied without missing a beat.

Tojiko proceeded to stare incredulously at the hermit for all of a second before remembering who she was talking to. “Of course that wouldn’t bother you…”

“I don’t see why it should. They can come back any other day of the week, can’t they?” Seiga shrugged her shoulders as she spoke. “It’s not like the people buried here are going anywhere. ...I mean, unless someone were to-”

“Nevermind that. What is it that you’ve got in mind? I admit I’ve been curious ever since you brought it up.” Though what Tojiko didn’t admit that she was becoming just a little bit less curious and more skeptical about whatever Seiga might have in mind with each passing minute.

“A bombastic display that I’m sure will thrill the socks off Miss Toyosatomimi.” Seiga said, moving on ahead, prompting Tojiko to follow. As they turned a corner, Tojiko noticed multiple small wooden crates lined up in-between several graves. She only needed to squint to see that the boxes were all filled with fireworks.

“Bombastic is right. Are you going to have an entire light show for Crown Prince?”

“It’ll add that extra celebratory spirit. I even modified so that their explosions will spell out a series of messages in the sky for her. One of them is going to say ‘Rejoice!’, and another will say ‘ for a new year in enlightenment’!”

“...None of them are going to spell anything indecent, right?” 

“Was that seriously the first question that popped into your head?” Seiga didn’t sound too upset at that either way though, and further lead Tojiko to the back of the graveyard. On the ground was a large sheet laid out over the floor. “Here’s what I think she’ll like the most though.”

“...A sheet?” Tojiko stared at the sheet on the floor, unsure if there was something else she was supposed to be looking at.

Seiga chuckled at Tojiko’s reaction. She stood between the ghost and the sheet and faced Tojiko with a smirk. “Allow me to show you a peek at my own self-made brand of special effects mixing practical effects and mystical arts.” 

Before Tojiko could ask what any of that means, Seiga raised a hand and snapped her fingers. This was to distract from her other hand activating a seal that made the spell she prepared under the sheet take effect.

The ground under the sheet practically exploded as it was blown to one side. From the ground seeped a large amount of thick mist, that quickly spread past Tojiko, who reflexively shielded her face, already about to angrily demand an explanation from Seiga when the mist just as quickly died down.

When Tojiko uncovered her eyes, she realised that the mist gave way to something new that had appeared right in front of her, having sprouted right out of the ground. Something so large that she found herself floating backwards and craning her neck up to get a full view of the thing.

It was a tall stone statue, at least twice as tall as Tojiko was. The statue was of a robed figure with the arms and hands gesturing outwards. Though there wasn’t much fine detail in the face, Tojiko could tell from the very distinct pointed hairstyle that the state was meant to resemble Miko.

“Um.” Tojiko blinked repeatedly at the statue, awestruck. Seiga took this time to fly up right beside the statue’s head and gesture proudly at it. “What... am I looking at?”

“Isn’t it obvious? It’s an effigy of your dear Crown Prince! Rising from the ground is just the first part. Within two days, I hope to find the right magic to have it moving and even bow to Miko when she sees it.”

“That sounds terrifying.” Tojiko was already cringing at the thought of watching this statue actually move on its own. “...But I admit it’s quite the spectacle.”

“Why, thank you.” Seiga was now sitting on the statue’s shoulder as she spoke. “I’ll be honest, I was half-expecting you to go on a tirade about how it’s tasteless or something.”

“Why would you bring me if that was the case?” Tojiko raised an eyebrow at that, but she had to admit that there was something impressive about the effort Seiga was going to just to have a good time with Miko. Putting together a statue couldn’t have been easy work, after all!

In fact, now that she gave the statue another look-over, she noticed how the robes it wore weren’t quite like anything she recalled Miko ever wearing. In fact, some parts of the robe looked like it had details added over to more resemble some of Miko’s style of clothes. On top of that, the sculpted ‘hair’ looked very recently carved compared to the rest of the statue’s worn textures. Tojiko chalked up these factors to the statue having been made by non-experts.

“Say, how did you obtain this anyway? I can’t imagine you sculpted it all by yourself. And the fireworks too...”

“I have a lot of talents you don’t know about. Just know that it took a lot of time, effort, and pre-planning.”

Tojiko rolled her eyes at the non-answer, not entirely surprised that Seiga chose to be vague about it. It was the least of her concerns for now though, and she thought about how Miko would feel about the display. “...Knowing her, she’d probably find it amazing.”

“Naturally she would. I mean…” Seiga side-eyed the statue and spoke with a lighthearted smirk. “How many people do you know who would honestly be thrilled with seeing a statue of themselves?”

Hearing that made Tojiko imagined Miko’s reaction, no doubt saying something like how it’s almost as radiant as the genuine article or something. The thought brought a small smile to Tojiko’s face.

“...What?” Seiga was wearing a similar smile herself. “I’m not one of those people, if that’s what you’re thinking.”

“I wasn’t thinking that.” Though now that it was brought up, Tojiko completely believed Seiga would be one of those people.

“Of course, if someone were to make a statue of me, I’d have some strict standards. For one, they’d need to capture my essence of-”

As Seiga went on her tangent, Tojiko tuned her out as she thought about how despite any and all of her misgivings toward the wicked hermit, Seiga likely understood Miko on a personal level that was just as deep, if not even deeper than Tojiko did.

Seiga Kaku, the wicked hermit, a title that she almost seems to wear with delight sometimes. The person who taught Miko the ways of Taoism and the associated mystical arts, including the ritual to become shikaisen like her. Even back when Tojiko first met her over a millennium ago, she had her doubts about the hermit, doubts that Seiga never attempted to assuage.

Tojiko has watched Seiga be cruel, unethical, depraved, and without a hint of shame for any of her vices. Even putting that aside, she could be frustratingly elusive with her words and intentions, but has always made clear many times before that her own desires would always come first to her before anything else in the world.

How ‘unfortunate’ was Tojiko that during all of her time spent within the mausoluem’s dark walls, Seiga Kaku was the only living person she had to interact with.

Seiga had shown up, being able to easily enter the crypt thanks to her ability to open holes in any walls, in order to make sure everything was proceeding smoothly, or at least that was the reason Seiga had given, and was naturally surprised to find that Tojiko was a ghost.

Tojiko’s memories of her old life, including her memories of Miko and Futo, were all scattered and overlapped with much of her own imagination. She would likely never able to truly remember exactly what her past was like… but that was not the case with her memories of Seiga Kaku. 

It hadn’t taken long at all after Seiga first showing up until Tojiko was able to remember exactly all the feelings of distrust and anger towards the wicked hermit that she had in life, unlike the sometimes blurry and overlapping memories she had of Miko.

Tojiko could vividly recall the crystal clear image of Seiga’s deceptive smile. She always remembered her dark, striking eyes full of ill-intention. Or how her hair shined with eerily blue hues under the right light.

None of these details had changed much, if at all, in the present.

“-And if they can’t have my legs as smooth as marble, that would be right out.” Seiga outstretched a leg just to prove her point.

“Seiga, enough. I have a different question. ...What is the Crown Prince to you?” Tojiko suddenly and bluntly asked. “Futo and I are both devoted to her, and would follow her to the ends of the Earth. ...I’ve never gotten that impression from you.”

“Cutting deep all of a sudden, aren’t you?” Not that Seiga minded. If anything, she seemed pleased with the question. “You’re right that it isn’t anything so dramatic with me. In my heart, she’ll always be my student, no matter how much time passes. I want to keep watching over her, that’s all.”

“That’s all, huh...” Tojiko didn’t quite like that answer. It sounded like Seiga stuck around simply on a whim, but it’d have to be quite the strong whim if she was still attached to Miko after so many centuries.

“...Not just her, of course. You and Mononobe are extensions of my teachings as well. Not to mention… You fascinate me, Soga no Tojiko.”

“You’ve implied as such before. There were times you visited when you said you were only doing so because you were bored, and that I was something ‘interesting’ to check on.”

“That was just friendly banter. Perfectly fine among friends like us, right?” Seiga asked, or rather stated, with a confident smile. 

Tojiko’s first instinct was to vehemently deny that she was ‘friends’ with the wicked hermit. The first response she thought of was “ _ No way on any plane of this world _ ”, but she couldn’t deny her relationship with Seiga was more complicated than that. Still, she felt like she should offer some form of answer to Seiga.

“I wish…” It was somehow easier for Tojiko to be honest at times like this, perhaps because she didn’t want to look like she had anything to hide from Seiga. “...I wish you acted more like someone I could trust.”

Tojiko couldn’t be sure, but her words almost appeared to take Seiga by surprise, who then replied with her usual blase manner. “I’ve only ever acted like myself around you, and that will never change. Perhaps I’ll grow on you yet.”

“It’s been over a thousand years, so I doubt it.”

“We can’t predict the future. Give it another century or ten and we’ll see what happens. You’ve tolerated me all this time, haven’t you?”

“I will for as long as the Crown Prince tolerates you.”

“Right, right. I know she’s the only reason you do anything, so I’ll be sure to keep you both happy.”

‘ _ The only reason I do anything, huh? _ ’ Tojiko certainly would have agreed not too long ago, but she hasn’t been too sure of that fact lately. “Regardless, I appreciate you showing me all this, but I don’t think I have anything to add to it. I will probably just stick to a simpler show of appreciation on my own for the Crown Prince’s birthday.” 

“That does sound like it would suit you better. Knowing the both of you, I’m sure you could just offer some heartfelt words about how you’ll be with her forever?”

“N-No, that’s not substantial enough for me.” And Tojiko felt like she would never be able to express such a thing in her current state. “Maybe I’ll prepare something special in the kitchen on the day before.”

“That seems fitting too. Though if I may say, baking a birthday cake sounds more like something a mother would do for her child-”

“Birthday cake?” Tojiko blinked curiously at that, ignoring the rest of the sentence. “Is that some sort of special kind of cake?”

“Sort of? ...Right, that’s a more modern concept than you’re used to as well. It’s as you’d expect, a cake made just for this kind of occasion. It can be any type, but typically large enough to be shared among family and friends.“

“A birthday cake. ...I’ve actually been thinking about trying out more recipes involving sweets.”

“Really? Well, I’m sure Miss Toyosatomimi would be pleased by something that you personally- ...Miss Tojiko?” Seiga trailed off when she noticed Tojiko had turned around and was continuing to mumble to herself.

“A cake… I can do that… Baking... It’s something only someone dedicated would do...” Tojiko mumbled as she tried to picture what kind of form this important sweet food would take. 

Even if baking specifically was a bit less familiar to her compared to cooking, preparing food in general was something she both had experience in, and knew was one way to express her feelings.

“I need to go. Have a good evening.” Tojiko quickly bowed to Seiga before taking her leave.

“Uh, good evening to you too.” Seiga waved goodbye before quickly shouting. “And hey! Keep everything you saw here a secret to everybody!”

Tojiko only gave an awkward wave of her hand back to indicate that she heard what Seiga said. She had decided she was going to rush back straight to their dojo’s kitchen tonight and see what options were open to her. 

Even before she reached Senkai, she began to recall as many memories as she had in the kitchen…

-

_ “Which spice should I use today?’ I would ask myself as I shuffled through the kitchen cabinets, and it was never easy to come to a solution. Some days I thought that sticking to a recipe I knew well would be best if it seemed like a ‘comfortable’ meal was desired, but there were other days where I thought it best to liven a dour mood with something spicier. Or would that be too much? _

_ The cabinets were quite tall and reached up to the ceiling. I had to stretch to reach what I wanted sometimes, and occasionally even stand on my tiptoes, not that I remember how that feels like. _

_ That added to how spacious the kitchen felt, it was as big as the bedrooms. ...No, it probably only felt that way because I often preferred to be alone while cooking. It was a normal kitchen, and I quietly picked out ginger and began to cut it up with a knife- _

_ “Ah, hold on. you need to put in a bit more strength. The leaves are just being scrambled.” Seiga said from beside me. She was watching intently as I worked. I was holding a pestle, grounding leaves into a bowl. Instead of the spacious kitchen, I was now remembering when we were in a small room littered with boxes, bottles and ingredients. _

_ This was during a time Seiga showed me how to mix elixirs. It was something she taught to both Miko and Futo. I had eventually worked up the nerve to ask her to show me as well. These mystical arts and rituals were unfamiliar and even frightening to me, but it was a world that Miko was delving deep into, and I wanted to learn more about it as well. _

_ “Right. I was afraid of putting in too much strength.” I frowned at my lack of results, the leaves were refusing to turn into powder. I brought the pestle down and tried again. “I’ll do it harder now.” _

_ “I think you’re just too tense. You’re thinking too hard about exactly how much strength to put in instead of just letting yourself do it naturally.” Seiga explained to me, and it was times like that where I could believe she was the wise mentor she presented herself as to Miko. _

_ “I’m not tense, I’m focused. It’s hard for me to simply do things ‘naturally’ without thinking.” _

_ “Are you sure? You might just have an inflexible mind. I think in this instance, you should try to be more like your colleague, Lady Mononobe no Futo. Compared to you, she’s quite… how would I describe?” _

_ “Impetuous? Impulsive? Compared to me, that Futo is a bit too keen on doing things without thinking.” _

_ “Perhaps. But maybe sometimes, you feel envious at her ability to simply ‘act’?” _

_ “I would never feel envious about that. If anything… seeing how she acts makes me realise I need to be more disciplined in comparison.” _

_ “Hmm…” _

_ “...” _

_ “Do you hate her?” Seiga asked… No, I don’t think she actually asked me that. _

_ “No, I don’t hate Futo. And I don’t expect her to ever change her ways. I’ve learned to accept her quirks, as tiresome as they might be sometimes.”  _

_ I never said that to anybody, but that was how I felt about her.  _

_ Mononobe no Futo. That whimsical woman who was not only a colleague, but sometimes even the only one I could call family. At least, I know she felt that way about me. She acted overly familiar with me since we first met, and she had a bad sense of humour and... _

_ ...And so I never thought she would desire to see me killed, and so underhandedly, at that. _

_ Was that also due to how she could just ‘act’ without thinking? Should I be envious that I didn’t do the same first? Should I start now? The next time I see her, should I just follow my ‘whims’ of vengeance, and throw lighting at her face- _

“Tojiko...?” 

“Huh?” Tojiko raised her head in surprise. She had been resting face-down at the bowl laid out on the kitchen counter.

All the cabinets were open, and multiple jars of ingredients had been laid out on the tables. Tojiko had begun to see just what was available in their kitchen that could be made into a cake, and the answer she ultimately came to was ‘not a lot’.

That said, some experimental attempts were made considering the specks of bread and sugar all across the countertop. Tojiko noticed from the sunlight seeping into the kitchen that it was already morning, meaning she was at it all night without stopping and got a little lost in her memories at some point.

“Are you… preparing a meal for lunchtime?” The voice, Tojiko turned around to see, belonged to Futo, who was standing at the doorway and staring at her ‘work’ in the kitchen in mild confusion.

“Lunchtime? It’s past noon…?” Tojiko muttered quietly to herself. That realisation made the headache that Tojiko didn’t realise she had until that very moment, throb even harder. Somebody must have came in here at some point to prepare breakfast and Tojiko must’ve just chose to ignore them completely.

“Tojiko? Are you listening?” Futo asked again, even waving a hand at Tojiko for good measure to make sure she had been seen.

Tojiko didn’t respond right away, and instead just stared at Futo with a tired, impassive expression. She recalled the last thoughts she remembered having, about following her ‘whims’.

Before Futo could ask again, Tojiko raised her hand forward, and let loose a spark of electricity.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know it is typically a popular practice to have Futo speaking in an old English accent in order to get across her archaic accent. It's something I actually like too and find really charming! But I have opted not to do that myself for this story, not only because I don't want to commit to doing it properly, but also I thought it might prove a little too distracting when it comes to conversations with her.


	3. Chapter 3

The lightning bolt went straight past Futo, missing her by a rather wide margin as it hit a tree several meters behind her. Futo’s eyes turned towards the scorched patch left on the tree’s bark before turning back to Tojiko in confusion. “Uh…”

“There was a bug in that direction. It looked like it was going to land in your hair.” Tojiko said rather flatly, making little attempt to cover up her impulsive action just now. Maybe she just wanted to scare Futo, but she didn’t really think even that much would be satisfying.

“Oh!” Futo instinctively runs a hand alongside her ponytail, shaking uncomfortably. “Thank you… I would never have noticed with how thick and luscious my mane is… Just thinking about it is dreadful.”

Tojiko couldn’t help but make an incredulous face. The way Futo looked at her indicated that she was being entirely sincere and thus completely bought Tojiko’s very weak excuse. It was the same straightforward and simple Futo she always knew.

“Right…” Tojiko quickly went to cleaning up the bowl and countertop. “Sorry for occupying the kitchen for so long, I’m finished here if you needed to use it.”

“Oh no, I was just curious as to what you were doing here?” Futo stopped cradling her hair and stepped inside the kitchen proper, eyeing the various jars laid out. 

“Just… experimenting, I suppose.” After wiping the surfaces, Tojiko left the bowl to soak and headed out of the kitchen. “I’m heading out by the way, in case anyone asks.”

“Oh, sure… Huh?” Futo turned her head towards the exiting Tojiko and quickly caught up, pacing behind her as she spoke. “You are? Heading out?”

“Yes. The kitchen is short on a lot of supplies, so I’m going to head to the markets to stock up.”

It was something she remembered deciding a few hours earlier, in the midst of her tired daze. She had concluded that their supplies were woefully lacking in anything required to make a cake, let alone one that was apparently meant to be large enough to be shared with ‘friends and family’. 

The thought of just exploring this land on her own time wasn’t something that had occurred to her ever, even for a stroll, but with only a day left before Miko’s birthday, she could afford to move a little bit more out of her comfort zone.

She was floating for about half a minute when she realised Futo was still following her.

Tojiko stopped and turned to Futo, raising an eyebrow. “Did you need something else?”

“Oh, no, it’s just… I just happened to be considering a stroll of my own! Might I ask how you may be intending to spend the day? If it’s a trip to the local marketplaces, it sounds like a worthwhile activity.”

“It’s not like I’m going for fun.” Tojiko was trying not to audibly groan. She was already fully settled on heading to the village without any company. 

And despite all the obvious reasons she should have to hate even being in the same room as Futo, Tojiko couldn’t work up much distaste for the pale-haired hermit even when she tried to.

“I’ll just be looking for what I need, pick up some things and be back just as quickly.”

“That’s perfect! I’ve been meaning to take a closer look at what sort of wares this lands offers, it would be more expedient for us to go together.”

“ _ Can’t you go on any other day? _ ” Tojiko wanted to say, but she was simultaneously too tired and too impatient to try and argue with Futo, who was strangely insistent on following.

“Yeah. Fine. Okay. Suit yourself.” Tojiko practically sputtered as she continued down the corridors of the dojo. She just needed to focus on her main goal for now. “Give me a moment to go get changed.”

-

Recalling what she was informed about the general geography of Gensokyo before, Tojiko roughly knew the locations of various landmarks, the most important at the present being the ‘Human Village’ which was exactly what it sounded like. A village, with humans in it. How quaintly literal, she thought.

That said, Tojiko couldn’t help having some reservations about visiting a populated area like a village. Since she was a child, she had never been the type to venture far from home. Additionally, she always figured there would be panic or confusion if a ghost like herself just went flying around who-knows-where, nevermind that Gensokyo was apparently home to a variety of youkai and strange beings that just came and went as they pleased.

She still felt self-conscious enough about her ghostly body that she wore a dress with a much longer skirt, long enough that it concealed the wispy tails that she had in place of legs. Tojiko had prepared the dress for exactly this sort of situation, but it was the first time she was wearing it out.

She had to move exceptionally slower, making sure she didn’t float high enough that the skirt’s hemline wasn’t too obviously floating above the ground. It felt awkward and she hoped it also didn't look too awkward to anyone who looked at her.

At the very least, Futo hadn’t said anything about Tojiko looking strange even while walking beside her and keeping a similar pace. She did comment at least once before they left that Tojiko didn’t need to go through the trouble of the long skirt, but never insisted past that.

They strolled in silence, to Tojiko’s gratitude, all the way to the village. Within twenty seconds of entering the village, nobody was staring intensely at Tojiko like she was some sort of abomination, so she considered her ‘disguise’ a success.

“Let me know if you spot any shops related to ingredients.” Tojiko said to Futo as they moved past some residential blocks and came across a line of shops. “Our cabinets are particularly lacking on sugar and-”

“Look over there, Tojiko!”

“Wha-” Tojiko turned her head and Futo was already far ahead of her, pointing and staring excitedly at a display of fine pottery. 

“Look at these ceramics! You’d never be able to find quality like this just lying around in our old prefectures. It’s like if they were selling horses as common pets, is it not?”

“I…” Tojiko stared at the pots for a few seconds. “...They don’t look much different from the ones we use in the dojo.”

“You lack a discerning eye for craftsmanship!” Futo picked up one of the bowls and held it at various angles in the air. “...If you look closely here-”

Tojiko was already tuning her out. This wasn’t the first time she found herself listening to Futo disclose an unnecessary amount over something inane. In fact, she felt as if she had experienced almost the exact same thing in the past.

“ _ Tojiko! We have to hurry before all their wares are exhausted!”  _

_ “Just… go on without me.” I was huffing as I said that, I think I stopped because my legs were sore. _

_ “Where’re your fighting spirit?” Futo started pulling me by the hand even though my head was still down. “We need to procure all the wheat we can while we have the chance! I promised the Crown Prince that I would make certain we would never have to worry about any shortages for months to come!” _

_ “Then you shouldn’t have made that promise so quickly! And why am I involved in that case!?” _

_ “Because I cannot handle this alone! My bartering skills are rather lacking…” _

_ “So are mine!” I started to walk with her and looked up to see her determined frown. _

_ She looked like how I’ve always remembered her. Or rather, she doesn’t seem to have changed at all, neither in appearance nor in how she acts. The Futo I know has always been committed to the Crown Prince, sometimes to a foolhardy extent. _

_ “If we are both lacking the necessary skills, then we can make up for it by combining our capabilities into someone who is semi-decent at bartering!” She said with such confidence, like it was a flawless plan. _

_ “That makes no sense, you must be aware of that…” _

_ “We must at least give it a try, now let’s go…!” _

_ She was always eager to include me in her activities, even when… no, especially when it was something she believed would please the Crown Prince. It makes me wonder… was she worried sometimes that I might fall out of favour with Miko? I certainly never believed that would happen. _

_ Even so, that was probably the reason why she even came to tell me about-… _

_ “Shikaisen? ...And you as well?” _

_ “Yes.” It was the most severe I could ever imagine Futo sounding. “The Crown Prince and I will leave behind this mortal coil for a new existence as hermits.” _

_ “...Why are you telling me this?” _

_ “Because…” She took my hands, and I know she smiled at me then, but… _

_ ...But I could only recall the excruciating look of pain on her face, during her last moments as the poison took her life. _

_ “...You should come with with us, and become a shikaisen!” _

“I… What did you say?”

“I said you should come over here and look at this.” Futo gestured to the shop she was standing in front of. “You mentioned something about sweets or desserts?”

“Oh, yes I did.” Sometime after listening to Futo’s pottery sermon, Tojiko did mention that some sweets or desserts would be nice to have in stock around the dojo.

Tojiko gave the shop’s exterior a cursory glance, the sign and banner outside were quite new and featured some colourful illustrations of what looked like sweets.

“What’s a scone?” Futo tilted her head at the words written on the banner, unsure if she pronounced it correctly.

“I don’t know, that doesn’t sound very tasty.” 

Tojiko took her own closer look at the banner, and noticed it did indeed read that it advertised things such as ‘scones and cakes for all occasions such as reunions or parties’.

“Can… can such a convenient place exist?!” Tojiko’s mouth remained open in awe, a part of her daring to hope.

“I am not sure about some of these prices- Ah, Tojiko?” Futo turned to see that Tojiko had already entered the shop.

“Oh, welcome to- Uh!” There was a woman, likely the shopkeeper, sitting behind the counter further within the shop. Tojiko immediately approached her and placed both hands on top of the counter.

“This shop sells cakes for all occasions? Does that also include for birthdays?”

“O-Oh, naturally!” Fortunately, the shopkeeper wasn’t too perturbed by Tojiko’s aggressiveness. “That’s the most common kind of occasion for cake, isn’t it?”

“I wouldn’t know.” Tojiko wasn’t about to question it either way though. She knew it was a bit of a long shot to try and prepare something in their kitchen within one day, especially with her lack of experience and practice. 

When she was actually presented with the cakes on sale, she knew she wouldn’t be able to replicate anything close to the level of quality she was looking at.

“Astounding!” Futo exclaimed, staring at the ‘birthday cakes’ alongside Tojiko. “I would believe that these large delicacies were produced by the heavens themselves.”

“Um, no, we have a kitchen in the back.” The shopkeeper explained with a smile. “Actually it’s all thanks to Miss Izayoi. She came from the Outside World, and she had all this know-how of baking that she shared with several of us in the village-”

“Yeah, I’ll take this one.” With no interest in the shopkeeper’s story, Tojiko pointed at the wide and round, tea-flavoured cake. 

-

Tojiko exited the shop with her purchase in hand. The cake had been stored in a white rectangular box, tied securely close with strings. After having procured the ‘birthday cake’, Tojiko was honestly half-expecting to suddenly feel a lot lighter in her chest, as if she had checked off one large worry off her list. No such feeling came, but she didn’t dwell on it for long.

Futo came out of the shop soon after, after managing to pry her eyes away from all the treats on display. “It is like some kind of wonderland consisting entirely of sugar in there. Modern marketplaces are truly something else. So then, are you going to consume that entire piece?”

“I’m saving it. ...I’ve shopped enough, so I think I’ll be heading back now. You can keep browsing if you’d like.”

“O-Oh, is that so…?” Futo asked, and Tojiko only responded with a nod before she started floating elsewhere. Futo hastily moved to walk beside Tojiko. “So then, you’re satisfied with your acquisition?”

“Yes, I am.” 

“...Are you certain?”

“...Yes?” Tojiko raised an eyebrow at Futo, unsure where she was going with these odd questions. “What’s with you?”

“Nothing is with me! It’s just...” Futo trailed off for a moment.

Tojiko slowed to a stop in the middle of the village road, turning to face Futo with a puzzled look.

“You just do not look particularly excited, or even pleased.” Futo finally said.

“I just don’t show it on my face very much then.”

“...That’s not what I remember.” Futo said, now she was the one looking puzzled. “You’re awful at hiding your excitement. It makes you twitch and murmur to yourself.”

“It… does?” Tojiko certainly never knew that, but she knew for sure that she was excited at the prospect of presenting the cake to Miko tomorrow. 

After all, why wouldn’t she be excited at the thought of unveiling the treat to her, and then giving her blessings, and then expressing her gratitude… with words. ...that she was still debating were even true at this point.

“Sorry if you think that, but-”

“It’s not just me! The Crown Prince thought so too.”

“She…” Tojiko had less to argue about that. She really didn’t like the thought of Miko being worried for her sake.

“It came up in conversation without me meaning to, but I realised we are both concerned how you have never once appeared to be at ease around the dojo.”

“Is this why you wanted to tag along today?”

“...It is.” Futo admitted without any reluctance to her voice. “I wanted to discern for myself how you were doing, but I hesitated to say all that outright. ...I don’t wish to hesitate anymore though, so I am saying everything there is to say now.”

“...Well, thank you for letting me know.” Tojiko managed to say without gritting her teeth. “I don’t wish to worry the Crown Prince either, so I’ll keep all of that in mind. You don’t need to bother yourself with me, okay?” 

Ideally, if what Tojiko hoped to accomplish with this cake was successful, she would assuage Miko’s worries about her… and also Tojiko’s own worries about herself. Everything should be swell, and afterwards she just needed a bit more time to adjust and then…-

“I’m concerned as well.” Futo added, just as Tojiko had turned around. “ Don’t you remember our promise? I like to think… it’s up to us to keep each other in check.”

Turning back to Futo, Tojiko’s eyes lit up ever so slightly. “What did you say?”

_ “I am concerned, Tojiko… No, I am frightened.” Futo had a forlorn expression, and she was… shivering? I’m not sure. “For myself, and for you.” _

_ I calmed her down. I don’t remember my exact words, but I was confident and without any of the fears she had, whatever those fears were about. That was because at this point, I had fully resolved to become a shikaisen. I didn’t have any doubt that I would spend an eternal new life with Miko. _

_ “You say that… but I don’t believe you’re acting like yourself either. I pray we do not lose ourselves.” _

_ That would never happen. I don’t see how I could have… I was choosing to follow Miko and Futo down the same path as them, and I was willing to give up everything and to do anything. _

_ “...I-I see.” Futo looked so… frail. Her body was weak and I would believe she could simply drop dead at any point. “If that’s true, then let’s make a promise…” _

_ I agreed, I could only agree if she sounded so desperate. _

_ “We will keep each other in check then… If I start to lose myself, you must bring me back from the brink.” _

_ “And if you think I’m becoming someone else…” _

_ “I’ll stop you.” _

“...And just how do you intend to do that?” Tojiko asked, barely hiding the derisiveness of her voice. Her fingers clutched the edges of the box tighter as she spoke. “To ‘keep me in check’, I mean?”

“I do not know, not entirely… But as loyal retainers to the Crown Prince, we are best suited to making sure we do not stray-”

“How annoying.” Tojiko practically spat back. “I don’t care what you get up to, and I’d rather you not pry needlessly into my business either.”

“I don’t mean to invade your privacy, I would rather not even! But sometimes, we won’t have a choice…”

“Well, poor you, having ‘no choice’...” Tojiko was getting progressively more annoyed. Or rather, her annoyance had been building up for a while now. ”It must be so inconvenient for you to have to put up with me.”

“I did not mean my words that way-”

“It’d be so much easier on you if I had stayed gone, wouldn’t it?!” 

Tojiko had shouted to Futo, who only stared back dolefully at her. There might have been one or two other passing villagers who had turned to stare, not that either of them cared at the moment.

Tojiko kept talking, no longer holding back. “You’re an even bigger fool than I thought if you honestly think we can just go back to how we were in the past. If anything, I should be hating you, and seeking vengeance for what you’ve done to me.”

There was an extended moment of silence, and Tojiko had thought Futo had nothing left to say to that, until… “That’s fine.”

“...Come again?”

“If you wish to hate me, to take vengeance upon me, you shouldn’t hesitate either.”

Tojiko just stared at Futo, who stared back in complete earnest. She didn’t know what to say to that. She ended up just letting out a long, very heavy sigh.

“Tojiko…?”

“I need to store this cake.” That’s all Tojiko said before turning around and floating away. “Don’t follow me back.”

“But… there’s only one way back?” Futo asked confusedly, but ended up following behind Tojiko anyway, albeit from a fair distance.

Tojiko didn’t have the energy, the mood, the capacity, or the willingness to dwell on anything Futo was saying. She only wished to focus on the celebration tomorrow. She realised at some point that she probably needed to prepare some words to say to Miko when the time came to present the cake. She told herself again and again that it should be as ‘simple’ as expressing her gratitude and her devotion, but more specific or meaningful words failed to come to mind.

She stared down at the white box in her hands, suddenly doubting whether or not all the answers lay in this admittedly impulsive purchase of hers after all. So engrossed was she that when she turned a corner, she failed to stop herself from bumping into another person turning that same corner.

Tojiko collided hard with the other person, and both recoiled backwards while dropping their possessions, Tojiko her white cake box, and the other person their multiple baskets worth of groceries.

Tojiko managed to keep her balance, though the other person had fallen backwards. She especially felt bad given all the baskets on the floor and that she undeniably wasn’t watching where she was going. 

“I’m so sorry, are you alright?” Tojiko asked, already beginning to pick up some of the groceries off the floor and putting them back into baskets.

“Oh, no worries, no worries! I wasn’t looking ahead of me.” The person Tojiko had collided into was a robed woman wearing glasses. She was smiling cheerfully and stood up while laughing off the fall. 

Futo caught up at that moment, moving to help pick up the groceries as well. “Ah, you must be more careful around these crowded streets! I know from experience how easy it is to get trampled…”

“Yeah, yeah…” Tojiko was embarrassed enough without having to be advised by Futo of all people. Her eyes then darted all around the ground when she noticed something missing. “Wait, where’s the cake…?”

“You mean this?” The glasses-wearing woman held out the white box to Tojiko before she could start panicking.

“Yes, thank you!” Tojiko took the box back and handed the baskets back to the woman. It’d have been incredibly unfortunate if she lost the product she was putting an embarrassing amount of her hopes on. “Again, I’m sorry, I’ll get out of your way now.”

Tojiko hastily made herself scarce, while Futo handed the last of the baskets back to the woman. “Here you go. ...Hm?”

“Yes?” The woman took the baskets between both of her hands.

“I was just thinking… have we met somewhere before?” Futo couldn’t help but think there was something distinct about this woman’s appearance.

“Not sure, I pass by a lot of people. I have a hut near Myouren Temple though and sometimes I pass by there. You ever been there, maybe?”

“Um! I cannot say I have!” Futo quickly denied, waving her hands. If this was someone who saw her try to set the temple on fire that one time, she did not want to potentially remind them.

“Then maybe we just passed each other in this village.” The woman suggested in a merry voice.

“M-Most likely! Anyhow, do have a good day.” Futo quickly bowed to the woman and walked past her… only to then turn around to face her again, shouting to make up for the distance. “Ah, but you try not to go near that temple! It’s full of beasts!”

“I’ll, uh, keep that in mind, sure.”

“And if you are ever in need of spiritual guidance, you should seek out the Crown Prince, Toyosatomimi no Miko!” Futo shouted before hurrying away to catch up with Tojiko.

Once Futo was long out of sight, the woman looked down at one of her baskets. She stepped into a secluded alley to make sure she wouldn’t be seen.

“What an oddball, that one. Are all Taoists like that?” She mused aloud to herself as she pulled out one of the ‘groceries’.

What appeared to be a large clump of cabbage then transformed in a puff of smoke, revealing it’s true form as the white box that Tojiko had dropped. 

“Let’s see if there are any clues in here…” Mamizou smirked to herself as she lifted the lid’s edge just enough to see what was inside. “...Cake?”


	4. Chapter 4

The majority of Tojiko’s next morning was spent the same way as most of her recent mornings, either floating around the entire premises once to make sure everything was in order, or idling in place as she reminisced through her scattered memories. 

She found herself making a specific effort to try and recall anything about either how Miko felt about celebrations, or any past conversations with Futo that might provide more context for what she had said the other day. Tojiko couldn’t entirely control which thing her mind searched for at any given moment, as her differing levels of curiosity fluctuated repeatedly. 

It didn’t matter either way, and Tojiko knew it was pointless. She would not magically dig up anything from her memories that she hadn’t already found or mulled over for several centuries. So after making sure the grounds were tidy, she went straight to the kitchen to check on the cake.

Not that Tojiko expected to find it missing or anything. The plain white box tied was still closed with strings, and it sat on one of the counters by the side, exactly where she left it. 

Tojiko floated in the middle of the kitchen as she stared at the package. It was such a plain, innocuous-looking thing, and yet she felt like she was staking all of her hopes and all of what little passion she had left on it. She was embarrassed at herself for it… but she figured she should be more than willing to put all of her will into celebrating Miko’s birthday. After all, if she didn’t feel that way, if she didn’t find contentment and joy every waking moment at the thought of being by Miko’s side…

...Then why was she even here?

Tojiko hoped it wouldn’t be a question she ever had to find an answer to. She’s then pulled out of her thoughts when she hears someone else entering the kitchen, who Tojiko turned to face.

“So you are capable of using doors instead of going through walls.” Tojiko said dully to Seiga.

“And  _ you _ can only use doors despite being a ghost. Good morning, by the way.” Seiga greeted Tojiko with a bright smile before looking around the kitchen. “I’ve been so occupied that I hadn’t had the chance to check up on how your efforts have been going. Is that birthday cake still coming along alright? I heard you were working up a frenzy in here after we talked.”

“Actually I already settled that. Over there.” Tojiko pointed to the box sitting on the counter, which Seiga eyed with interest.

“Ooh, store-bought? That’s a surprisingly modern solution from you! I thought for sure you’d want to lovingly bake a mighty dessert yourself, filling it with your hand-crafted love for Miss Toyosatomimi.”

“I did consider exactly that, but there wouldn’t have been enough time for me to learn how to do it, let alone do it properly.” Tojiko felt the need to further defend her decision. “I wanted to make sure the cake was a high-quality one, that’s proof enough of my dedication.”

“What flavour is it?” Seiga asked, looking over the box instead of paying much mind to Tojiko’s declaration.

“It’s tea-flavoured. It reminded me of the kind of sweets the Crown Prince and I enjoyed in the past.”

“That does fit someone as old-fashioned as yourself.”

“I’m not old-fashioned, I just thought it would be nostalgic. Anyway, have you finished… whatever it is you were doing in that graveyard?”

“Ah, funny you ask about that…” Seiga turned to face Tojiko with a dramatic sigh. “I’ve been running into a few different setbacks, and worse of all I don’t think I’ll have the statue dancing after all.”

“I thought it was just going to bow?” The image of that statue dancing was not only still terrifying, but also disrespectful.

“Well, if I’m going to do something for my dear student, I won’t settle for anything less than going all out.”

“I don’t like the thought of you going ‘all out’ in any regard. ...But I suppose I can understand your feelings, if it’s for Crown Prince.”

“That and I also just thought it would be fun.” Seiga casually admitted with a shrug.

“Right…” Tojiko resisted the urge to roll her eyes. “Well, don’t get too ambitious with whatever you’re doing.”

“I could say the same for you too, you know?”

“Hardly? All I did was purchase a cake.”

“And yet you look to me like you’re at the end of the rope.” Seiga mused, tilting her head as she examined Tojiko’s face, where rings were starting to form under her eyes.

“I…” Tojiko brought a hand to her face. She hadn’t been aware of how she might have looked, considering she hasn’t actually taken a moment of rest in the last several days, or had a thought that didn’t circle back to giving herself more stress.

Before either of them commented further on her state, they heard someone else entering the room.

“Oh! You’re both here.” It was Miko, coming in and greeting both of them with a smile. “Hope I’m not interrupting anything.”

“Crown Prince…!” Tojiko straightened her back, panic seeping a little into her voice. She had a vague idea of how she was going to greet Miko that day and wasn’t at all prepared to see her so early. “I was just…”

“Just catching up with her favourite person.” Seiga smiled back at Miko, and leaned her shoulder against Tojiko’s. “You interrupted just before Miss Tojiko could tell me how much she misses me.”

“I’ve gotten enough of you for several lifetimes.” Tojiko said flatly, before floating a few inches away from Seiga so their shoulders were no longer touching.

“Then it’s a good thing we’ll live forever.” Seiga replied playfully before turning to Miko again. “We’ll continue elsewhere if you need to use the kitchen.”

“Oh, no need. Actually, I was hoping to run into Tojiko..” 

“You were looking for me?” Tojiko asked, confused.

“Yes. ...Seiga, do you mind?” Miko eyed Seiga, hoping she’d excuse herself so the rest of them could talk privately.

“I don’t mind.” Seiga shook her head, making it clear she didn’t feel like leaving.

“Okay…” Miko accepted that in resignation before addressing Tojiko again. “I felt bad about how our last conversation ended, the one from a few days ago? I know it’s been a bit awkward for either of us to approach the other since then, but I feel like I haven’t seen you around at all lately.”

“No... I’m the one who should feel bad. It’s as you said then, I haven’t had the easiest time adjusting to our new environment.”

“I understand. I was also concerned you were still upset over what I said. That I implied you were having… doubts?” Miko said carefully, a little worried that just saying the word might provoke another strong reaction from Tojiko.

Tojiko did admittedly tense when she recalled not only her behaviour in their last conversation, but also her feelings of resistance at even the mere implication of having doubts. This time, Tojiko just shook her head.

“You have no reason to worry, and I still don’t have any doubts. In fact, I’ve had nothing but you on my mind, about how I could please you-”

“Coming on a bit strong there, aren’t you?” Seiga commented from off to the side. Part of her was worried Tojiko might just divulge all of their plans for surprise right there and then.

“Ah, well…” Tojiko paused, remembering that there was probably better timing for her to say these things to Miko than early in the morning, especially with Seiga standing right there.

“Uh, actually…” Miko said with a nervous smile. “I think I have a good idea of what you’ve both been up to.”

“You do?” Both Seiga and Tojiko said.

“I’ve got a hint from the desires you’re both giving off lately. I also heard about Tojiko spending all night in the kitchen, and of Yoshika sneaking around with fireworks. Then it all started to click when I remembered the date today!”

“Oh, so you didn’t just forget.” Seiga said, feeling just a little bit like her great hopes of seeing Miko’s shocked face were thwarted.

“I mean, I did forget for a while. I’m humble enough that it’s not as if the date of my birth would be at the forefront of my mind. ...But then I started to think about what kind of reason could have you both acting strangely, like there was something truly important on both your minds! I checked the date and realised the obvious. What else could be important enough of an occasion to warrant your behaviour?”

As Miko chuckled proudly to herself, both Seiga and Tojiko had the same thought. “ _ ...What was that about being humble? _ ”

“Anyway! I want to preemptively say that I appreciate that you both care so much about my birthday, to the point of working together. The two of you are an even closer unit than I thought.”

Tojiko reflexively frowned at that, and she frowned harder when she saw Seiga grinning right at her. “Don’t get too carried away,  _ either of you _ . ...But yes, now you know that all I’ve been thinking about is celebrating the first step in your new life.”

“Tojiko…” Miko smiled softly as she continued. “The truth is that I don’t need anything grand from either of you. I may enjoy receiving blessings from the masses, but you’re not just another follower to me. I’m more than happy with just having you by my side-”

“That’s not enough for me, Crown Prince.” Tojiko replied bluntly, with a resolute look in her eyes, catching Miko by surprise. “It’s important that I show the proof of my devotion, I can’t settle for less than that.”

“I see… If that’s what you want to do, then I’ll embrace it wholeheartedly.”

“Thanks. Since it’s out in the open anyway…” Tojiko said, turning to the plain white box on the table. She had been feeling a growing sense of impatience, especially since her deeper mixed feelings had not lessened at all since purchasing the cake. Now was a good excuse to finally present some proof of her commitment, so she floated over to the box and picked it up and then brought it down on the table in the middle.

“Uh, wait... You’re going to open it right now? I guess a hermit is allowed to indulge in the morning…” Seiga said, curiously eyeing Tojiko as she moved beside the table.

“I admit I’m really curious. What is it I’m about to ‘indulge’ in?” Miko asked, unable to hide the excited smile that has formed on her face. As modest she tried to act, she still very much liked receiving gifts.

“It’s a birthday cake. A special dessert meant to celebrate this exact kind of occasion.” Tojiko explained as she began untying the strings holding the box closed. “Had I the time to learn for myself, I would have made one myself that was a far greater size.”

“And I would have helped.” Seiga nodded. “In fact, if there was enough sugar and batter in this land, I would have considered a cake big enough for me jump out of to surprise you.” 

“...What?” Tojiko paused at that. “That’s just nonsensical.” 

“If I hadn’t left this to Tojiko, I would have prepared a cake that was as tall as you.” Seiga explained cheerfully to Miko. “And then to really surprise you, I’d jump out from inside the cake to give you my blessings.”

As she listened, Tojiko couldn’t help but grimace. “That sounds awful. You’d be covered in foodstuff, and who would eat the cake if there’s been a person inside?”

“No, no, I see what she’s getting at.” Miko actually looked intrigued. “A large spectacle of a treat followed by a cute girl coming out to greet me? I definitely see the appeal.”

“Ah, I knew you’d understand!” Seiga was beaming proudly. “To see the appeal in such a modern tradition, you truly are a forward-thinking leader.”

Tojiko looked between the two of them, utterly bewildered by this bizarre conversation she was hearing, before clearing her throat loudly. “Well, sorry, but you’ll have to settle for my perfectly  _ sane _ cake instead.”

“Oh, of course I’m thrilled with this too.” Miko replied, completely sincerely. ”So then… Am I supposed to eat all of it myself?”

“If that’s what you desire.” Tojiko said, completely seriously as she finished undoing the strings tying the box closed.

“I guess if our Crown Prince is really that hungry, sure, but that’s not necessary.” Seiga said, shaking her head. “We can start by cutting it up into-”

Before Seiga said another word however, the box in the middle of the table was very suddenly enveloped in a thick burst of smoke. The smoke just as quickly dissipated… and in the place of a cake, was a bottle of sake lying on the table. The bottle had a leaf sitting on top of it, and it slowly started rolling in one direction.

“Oh wow.” Miko reached for the bottle, chuckling in amusement, and picked it up, turning it around in one hand as she examined it. “Does… Does it turn back into a cake?”

Miko looked to Tojiko and Seiga, who both stared at her with wide-eyes. Seiga was blinking in confusion, and Tojiko’s mouth was open in shock. The two of them turned to each other.

“S-Seiga?”

“I… am as lost as you are.”

Taking in the other’s expression, they realised neither understood what was going on any better than anyone else.

“...I take it that it’s not supposed to do that, then.” Miko said nervously, setting the bottle back down on the table.

“What…” Tojiko flattened her hands on either side of the table as she stared down hard at the bottle of sake. “How… Why…”

Seiga also approached the bottle with a thoughtful expression. She reached for the small leaf that was sitting by itself and picked it up, looking it over in her hand as she spoke. “Miss Tojiko, you did purchase your ‘cake’ from the village, and not some vendor from the side of the road?”

“Of course I did! The merchant even let me pack the cake myself!” Tojiko’s hands clutched the edges of the table, her voice slowly growing more hysterical by the second. 

“I’m just saying, you probably walked into a fraud of a deal.”

“No, no no. Futo was there too and-...” Tojiko gasped sharply. “Futo! She did this, she switched them! She did this to me again!”

“Um…” Miko chimed in with a sheepish smile, and she noticed with concern that Tojiko’s eyes were nearly bulging. ”I find that unlikely.” 

Seiga continued to be nonchalant about it though, “As hilarious as I think it’d be to let you believe that, it’s much more likely you robbed by a tricky youkai.”

“Youkai?!” Tojiko turned to face Seiga, who couldn’t help but recoil an inch from the intense glare Tojiko had.

“...Yes. At least, I don’t think any human could pull off such eccentric transformation magic.”

Miko came up beside Tojiko and carefully brought a hand over her shoulder. “Looks like this will be a cautionary tale for us. Don’t feel too bad, we can consider this an amusing anecdote to look back on while we were still adjusting to the environment, right?”

“...Hmm, and you said Mononobe was with you too when this happened?” Seiga mused quietly, more like she was saying the question to herself rather than asking Tojiko. “...Sorry for being hasty, but I’ll be heading out now.”

“Huh?” Miko turned her head to Seiga, who was already on her way out of the kitchen. “What, are you going to look for the culprit?”

“Goodness no, they’re probably long gone.” Seiga stopped at the door frame. “Like you said, this was a cautionary tale, and I need to hurry and check if my own preparations for your birthday are still in proper order. I’ll see you later today, both of you!”

“Okay, but- ...And she’s gone.” Miko watched Seiga leave, so she focused back to Tojiko who was still staring down intensely at the table. “Tojiko? It’s really alright.”

“...I won’t have it!” Tojiko smacked slammed a palm on the table, shaking the bottle on top before floating towards the door. “I’ll find that youkai, and send lightning through every nerve of their body!”

“Tojiko, wait up…!” Miko hurriedly caught up to Tojiko before she left the kitchen. “I’d definitely be frustrated too if I got robbed, but if you’re upset because it was for my sake, I’m letting you know it’s fine.”

“It was… supposed to be my proof of my devotion.” Tojiko said, more quietly than she wanted.

Miko offered a small smile at that. “I’m sure it would have been delicious, but I think I can go without the cake. Besides, you’d never need to prove to me-”

“But I do to  _ me _ !” 

After shouting that response, Tojiko craned her head back, inhaled deeply, and let out the heaviest sigh she had in a long while.

She slowly turned to Miko, her expression calmed but more sullen now. “Crown Pri- ...Miko.”

“Yes?” Miko almost stood to attention as she replied. She was ready to listen intently, and could tell Tojiko had something important to say.

“The last time we talked, I wasn’t upset because you implied something that was false. It was because I was afraid you realised that was the truth.”

Miko looked at Tojiko pensively for a moment before responding. “You mean about you having doubt in your heart?”

“It’s so much more than just ‘doubt’. I was so confident that once we were reunited, I would feel nothing but the greatest of joy and relief… but that didn’t happen. I’m still hollow on the inside, like I’m still waiting for something that isn’t ever coming.”

After Tojiko managed to voice that much, a bitter smile formed among her features.

“...It shouldn’t be too surprising. I already died, and a part of me stayed dead in that mausoleum.”

“I can’t agree with that.” Miko replied without hesitating, her face taking a serious expression as she moved to take Tojiko’s hand. “You might not realise it, but you’ve not only changed since my previous life, but you’re changing bit by bit even now.” 

Tojiko shook her head. “You might be able to read people’s desires, but you don’t know what goes on in my mind. It’s all the same emptiness that’s been there ever since I first woke up as a ghost. It might just be my nature now, because even though I thought it would change in time, nothing is as I hoped it would be.”

“If you’re not satisfied, then I’ll remedy that. I brought you on this path with me, so tell me how I can make it better for you. We can start with anything, no matter how long it takes.”

“...I don’t believe you can. I don’t think anybody could.” Tojiko clasped both her hands around Miko’s, and she gave a soft smile. “All I can do is put my all into this. Even if it’s over something as trivial as a store-bought cake, I… I want to keep trying to claim that happiness I’ve been looking for.”

“...But what if you don’t find it that way?” Miko asked, concern heavy in her voice as she feared the answer to that question.

“Then...”

Tojiko averted her gaze. As much as she wanted to say that she wasn’t going anywhere, she realised she couldn’t help but wonder… She wondered if there was a chance that the only answer she’d find at the end was that she didn’t belong by Miko’s side anymore.

The two stood in silence for a few moments, with Miko thinking hard about what might be the best thing to say. Before she could come up with anything, Tojiko spoke first.

“Wait…” Just as Tojiko was beginning to pull away, Miko leaned closer. “Forget about the cake. It’s my birthday right? I’d rather we just stay in and talk about-”

“I’m sorry.” Tojiko interrupted, shaking her head once more. “But I won’t be able to think of anything else if I don’t take action regarding this. Please excuse my selfishness even on this special day…”

“Tojiko…” Miko smiled at her, just a little brighter than Tojiko’s own soft expression. “I wish you’d be selfish more often.”

Tojiko didn’t have a response to that, she didn’t know what she would even say to that. Thus, she simply nodded, and floated towards the door again. “I’ll see you later, I promise.”

And so Tojiko left in a hurry, leaving Miko alone in the kitchen. She was on her way to the nearest exit out of Senkai, only wanting to focus on the present and immediate task she’s placed in front of herself.

Before she even left the dojo though, she stopped in place before bumping into someone else turning a corner.

It was Futo, who had likewise stopped in place when she came upon Tojiko. There was an awkward moment of silence between them as they simply regarded each other wordlessly, while Futo was thinking she ought to say something.

“Ah…” 

Just as Futo thought to say something, Tojiko floated past her, continuing on her way out.

“...That was probably to be expected.” She sighed to herself before continuing further into the dojo.

Futo eventually passed by the kitchen, where she spotted Miko out of the corner of her eye, and so she poked her head in.

“Crown Prince? Are you-”

“Oh, Futo.” Miko turned her head to Futo. She was in the middle of opening that bottle of sake.

“Um… Crown Prince? You do realise it is not even noon?” Futo couldn’t help but stare with a look that was both apprehensive and judgemental.

“Hey, it was a birthday gift. It should be okay...” Miko grumbled as she averted meeting the other’s gaze. She was already ready to indulge in the quickest and most convenient way to make herself feel better, but if even Futo of all people was giving her a look like that, she couldn’t in good conscience continue. “Yeah, okay, fine.”

Futo stepped inside as Miko closed the bottle. “I wanted to ask if you had spoken to Tojiko like you said you were hoping to do.”

“I did, yes. It didn’t quite go as I’d hoped though.”

“I… have noticed.” Futo said, eyeing the bottle in Miko’s hand once more.

“Uh, wait, I didn’t bring this out just because of that. It was already here, but…” Miko gave up halfway through explaining and simply stored the bottle away in one of the cabinets before continuing. “Anyway, Tojiko and I shared some heavy things. She hasn’t been… satisfied lately, but I’ll talk to her again soon, Right now I think she’d prefer some distance.”

“Is that really for the best?” Futo didn’t sound convinced.

“Of course, I don’t like the thought of leaving her to stir in those feelings by herself. But it wouldn’t be good to push too hard and too fast, so I’m going to trust her in how she chooses to deal with it for now.”

“...I understand.” Futo nodded her head, but then after a moment of stewing on it, she spoke again. “But I don’t wish to leave her be. I feel like… I need to speak with her first.”

“Huh?” Miko wasn’t sure how Futo came to that conclusion.

“I decided yesterday that I would no longer hesitate in speaking my feelings around Tojiko. There are questions I have, and thoughts I need to share.”

“I… really don’t know if that’s for the best right now.” Miko didn’t want to admit that she thought Futo was maybe the worst person who could be talking to Tojiko at this moment. “I doubt she’s in the mood to listen to you.”

“Even so, I feel as if I can’t wait a moment longer! Even if she rejects what I say, I must say it all the same.”

Miko didn’t want to comment that it sounded like Futo was just acting on the first whim she felt. “Well, it’s definitely too soon for me to talk to her again, so… It might as well be you.”

“I will confess, I am not necessarily doing this for her sake, but for mine. I feel as if… I cannot be at peace until I’ve made sure nothing is left unsaid between us.”

“Well, what exactly is it you want to say or ask to her? It sounds important.”

“I… I would rather not say to you, if that is alright… But I don’t want to push down my thoughts for a second longer!”

“You really can’t help but follow your first impulse, can you?” 

Miko was definitely skeptical, but seeing how confidently Futo spoke of her nebulous intentions, she couldn’t muster up the urge to argue. 

“...I guess I’m always encouraging you all to act out your desires, so I hope you manage to express... whatever it is that you are hoping to.”

“Thank you, Crown Prince.” Futo gave a determined nod. “Do you know where Tojiko was going?”

-

“...Oh shoot.” Seiga exclaimed under her breath when she made it deeper into the graveyard. She could already see that several of the crates of fireworks had been opened and tipped over by someone checking the contents. She only need to look a little further ahead to see the culprits.

There were three figures who were in the midst of gathering the crates of supplies Seiga had prepared into one spot. She only needed to notice their bushy tails and ears to recognise them as tanuki.

Seiga flew over to them with a smile and hailed them cheerfully. “Excuse me! Might I ask whatever are you lot are doing?”

“Huh? Uh…” The three tanuki looked between each other in confusion concerning the suddenly appearing human. One of them eventually responded to her. “We’re packing these boxes up?”

“Oh? Are you going somewhere with them?”

“Well, yeah. Our boss wants us to-”

That first tanuki is quickly interrupted by another. “Hey, it’s none of your business anyway! A human like you should just leave while we’re at work.” 

“I can’t very well just leave, now that I’ve got the idea for some tanuki stew.”

“I don’t- ...Huh?” All three tanuki looked to Seiga in confusion. They then each started to notice how even as she continued to smile at them, there was an eerie energy emanating from her, growing larger by the moment, and their instincts were telling them that they were somehow cornered.

“I might as well make due while I’m dealing with an infestation of youkai.”

The tanukis were suddenly a lot less certain if they were talking to a regular human or not. Before anything else happened though, a voice rang out.

“I think you’re the only one infesting this place, wouldn’t you agree?”

Seiga turned her head to see the source of the voice, another tanuki who was currently standing on top of her precious Miko-statue in the middle of the graveyard.

Mamizou wore a smile of her own, though she was already eyeing Seiga with intense disapproval. “Don’t mind them, they’re just investigating the scene of the crime. I’m the one who’s been looking for you for a while now.”

“Oh...?” Seiga had a surprised expression, looking as innocently ignorant as one could while she floated to eye-level with Mamizou. “You’ve been looking for me? I had no idea.”

“Funny, because I’m pretty sure you purposefully put me on the trail of your pale-haired friend.”

“ _ Darn it, Mononobe, why couldn’t you be a better scapegoat? _ ” Seiga thought to herself but didn’t show it on her face. “No idea what you mean. Now why would a tanuki care about me?”

“I don’t in particular.” Mamizou smirked and narrowed her eyes at the hermit. “But I’m doing a favour for some people.”

“I take it you’re one of the youkai from Myouren Temple?”

“I’m a friend of theirs, yes. Mamizou Futatsuiwa from Sado.”

“Is this perhaps because I’ve been reserving this graveyard for myself?”

“Not even hiding that? You know, I heard lots of humans have been coming to the temple to complain about the monster driving them away from visiting their deceased. Even I couldn’t just walk in here without a fight.”

“I was wondering why Yoshika was half-way planted into the ground…” Seiga pouted as she recalled the sorry state her servant was in just outside the graveyard. “For what it’s worth, I only planned on reserving this space until the end of today.”

“Not that I particularly care about what goes on in this graveyard, but there’s also the matter that something’s gone missing from the temple grounds too. I almost didn’t recognise it thanks to you!” Mamizou declared dryly as she glanced down at the statue she was standing on. “

“Ooooh, that?” Seiga brought a hand to her cheek. “Now I’m embarrassed my craftsmanship is unveiled.”

Before the statue was made to resemble Miko, it was statue of Bishamonten. A statue that Seiga snatched for herself, and then left behind some of Futo’s plates to cover her tracks for at least long enough to last past this birthday celebration. She then used magic to heavily alter its appearance into the effigy of Miko that it was now.

“I was going to return it eventually, and exactly how I found it too!” Seiga said with a reassuring smile.

“Really?” Mamizou asked, skeptical.

“...Well, maybe I was going to return it looking even worse. Personally, I thought it was perfectly fair to borrow your display piece for my dear Miss Toyosatomimi’s birthday. Consider it recompense for you people putting your temple over her mausoleum.”

“Look, I wasn’t really around for any of that anyway, so it’s not like I have much investment in this conflict between them and you hermits… But a lot of humans have been up on the temple’s case, which you can imagine has only been extra stress over their missing statue. They’ve asked me to help solve both these problems, so I’m going to need you to turn it back the way it looked before. Also you should tell your jiang-shi to go elsewhere.”

“That’s understandable, but like I said, I need both the statue and this place until the end of today. Surely you friends can wait until then, for the sake of the Crown Prince’s celebration.” Seiga stated, not asked, with the same friendly smile as usual.

“Are you seriously having a birthday party in a graveyard? That cannot be a common human tradition…” Mamizou said, her smirk taking on an incredulous tinge. She had a feeling Seiga wasn’t lying, which only made what the hermit was saying only more absurd.

“I’m far from common.” Seiga replied, sounding even proud of the statement. “Now if you and your pack of little friends could just leave until the next day now…”

“Nah, I don’t feel like taking your word for it.” Mamizous waves her hand dismissively. “Instead, I’ll just find my own way to fix the statue’s appearance, once I’ve taken it back with me.” 

As they spoke, the three tanuki from before had gone back to organising and looking through the crates, trusting their boss to keep the strange woman occupied.

“Oh, and my ‘pack of little friends’ are looking through your things for anything else you’ve stolen too.”

“I really must  _ insist _ otherwise.” Seiga’s voice was carrying just the slightest hint of sternness to it. “A day like today is a once in a lifetime event, which is saying something for us eternally youthful hermits. I’d really rather not have to compromise.”

“Yeah, I got that impression from you. At the same time, I feel like I couldn’t stand to concede to a human as shameless as you.”

“My, you’ve only known me for a minute or so! ...You’re correct that I don’t have any shame about what I’m doing though.”

“I know, it’s almost impressive. If you really won’t back down though...” Mamizou then took to the air, a glint in her eye and a ready grin on her face. “I’ll just have to put you in your place.”

“Fair enough.” Seiga replied without a beat. “But just so you know, it’s not just me…”

Right after Seiga said that, the pack of smaller tanuki that was in the midst of digging through boxes were forced to flee in the opposite direction when Yoshika came charging in from above, landing among the boxes.

“I have awoken once more! To protect this place from invaders!” Yoshika declared loudly, her beady gaze locking onto Mamizou.

“Now then, how about another round with this girl who has a grudge to settle?” Seiga said as she rose higher into the air as well.

“Fine with me.” Mamizou said, honestly finding Yoshika’s unnatural determination to be charming in its own right. “I’ll put you both in your place with a ten-game match of transformations!”


	5. Chapter 5

“Where… Where…” Tojiko floated along the road in the Human Village at a sluggish pace, mumbling to herself all the while. She hadn’t bothered with her longer skirt, and combined with the dreary expression on her face, she very much looked the part of a ghost haunting the streets despite it being early in the day. It definitely looked that way to the various villagers, who all fearfully moved out of Tojiko’s way.

Following not far from behind was Futo, who was making sure to briefly speak to every single person they walked past. 

“Do not be afraid of Miss Tojiko! She’s actually a friendly and amicable ally of the Crown Prince!” Futo thought it would be bad for everybody if Tojiko were to gain any kind of reputation as a scary spirit among the humans.

“Where....” Tojiko came to a stop outside the sweets shop. It was actually the second time she passed by it that day. After circling the village streets for a while, she had failed to come across any clues towards the one responsible for the missing cake. Not that she had a huge amount of hope to begin with, but she had decided to act before weighing her chances, and now the reality of how fruitless her efforts were are only just now sinking in.

“What did I think I was going to find here…?” Tojiko groaned to herself, looking down and holding her tired head in her hands. She was tired from the stress of all morning, and then she felt even more tired from the stress of the last thousand years, none of which has ever let up.

“Tojiko, what is the situation?” Futo finally catches up with Tojiko now that she’s stopped. “Have you spotted anything?”

“No, of course not. This was pointless to begin with. I’ve only been doing pointless things. ...Futo, just go back.” 

“Nonsense. If there’s even a chance that there’s a trail-” Futo stopped when she got a good look at Tojiko’s face. “Tojiko…?”

“What?” Tojiko blinked in confusion at Futo, and only then realised her vision was not only a little obscured, but that she could feel a dampness along her cheeks. 

“Are you-” Futo started, her tone gentle and concerned, but she was quickly cut off by the other.

“It’s nothing. I’m just… tired. Really tired. This is embarrassing...” She exclaimed softly, wiping away some of the tears with her hand. She didn’t even know whether she was still capable of crying until now. “Look, you really don’t need to be here. ...I don’t even know what I’m doing here.” 

As soon as she said that out loud, Tojiko finally resigned to the fact that there was nothing to be found here. She rubbed at her temples and made her way towards the village’s exit.

“Ah, you’re leaving?” Just when Futo thought Tojiko had stopped for a rest, she found herself hastening her steps so as not to fall too far behind the ghost.

Even though Futo had followed Tojiko with the intention of speaking her mind, she was hoping to find a perfect opportunity to start. She realised now that the opportunity was not going to just present itself neatly before them, so Futo resolved then and there not to put it off any longer.

After a few minutes of travelling across the dirt paths, Futo spoke up. “...Tojiko, I need to ask you something. In truth, it’s something I’ve been meaning to ask for some time, but I did not know when the right time would have been. I would say it concerns more about you and the Crown Prince than-... ”

“Did you say something?” Tojiko looked over shoulder to Futo, not having made out what the other said.

“Ah, well I said…” Futo spoke louder, and realised the peaceful dirt path was a bit noisier than she realised. “Oh… It is rather awkward to have a meaningful conversation here, in this noisy road. Maybe I shall wait until we return to Senkai.”

“I hadn’t noticed…” Tojiko had since been tuning out all background sounds, whether it was chatting villagers, birds chirping, or now those distant sounds of- “...Wait, what is that?”

Tojiko lifted her head in curiosity. She floated higher into the air and looked ahead to the horizon.

“Eh? Tojiko?” Futo looked upwards in surprise. “What are you doing?”

Tojiko didn’t answer, squinting her eyes as she spotted the stirring winds, scattered leaves and varying lights of danmaku flowing out of the graveyard in the far distance. She remembered that Seiga had her own birthday plans, and her thoughts began to snowball from there…

She floated back down and spoke to Futo. “Something is going on in the graveyard. I think Seiga might have run into trouble with her own preparations.”

“Miss Seiga has? Then, you wish to assist her?”

“I… I guess. It’s just that I think... No, I’m certain.” Tojiko made up her mind quickly, and floated towards the path to the graveyard. “It’s related to my missing cake. It has to be.”

“Really?!” Futo briskly followed behind Tojiko, both of them moving as she spoke. “Do you think some kind of fiend is out to ruin any celebration for the Crown Prince?!”

“Maybe?” Tojiko still hadn’t completely discounted the possibility that Seiga herself was the one that had been messing with her, but now she was curious if Seiga’s part of the celebration was going any smoother than her own. “I’m going to ask her myself.”

-

Mamizou and Seiga whirled and dashed all throughout the sky, throwing all manner of projectiles at each other ranging from condensed spirits to empty gourds. They gracefully weaved between each others attacks, sometimes circling the statue in the middle of the space though neither wished to damage it.

Meanwhile on ground level, the other tanukis were in the process of picking up the box of fireworks from the ground and scurrying their way towards the exit. “Come on, let’s hurry and get out of- Ack!”

The tanuki is suddenly pounced on and pinned down by Yoshika, who then looked to the other two with wide eyes. “I am protecting this place! You can become my companions!”

Mamizou caught sight of her fellow tanuki being bossed around by the jiang-shi, and just shook her head in disappointment before turning back to Seiga. “I thought you religious types were supposed to be all about practicing upstanding ideals or something?”

“Of course. As it happens, I am one of the most upstanding people in my circle.”

“...I definitely don’t want to know anyone in your circle-”

Mamizou is interrupted when a new voice called out in their direction. “Seiga!”

Both Seiga and Mamizou turned to see Tojiko flying towards them.

“What’s going on here!?” Tojiko asked, her voice tense. As she got closer to the graveyard, she started rushing this way when the sounds of commotion became more distinct.

“I’m so glad you’re here, Miss Tojiko! I’ve run into even more setbacks thanks to these intruders.”

“Oh, that’s a laugh.” Mamizou almost wanted to literally laugh at that. “Considering you’re the criminal here!”

“What does she mean by that?” Tojiko asked Seiga, eyebrow raised. She wasn’t one to trust a youkai’s words, but anyone throwing suspicion on Seiga probably had a reason for it.

“Okay, I may not have been entirely forthcoming in where I obtained some resources of mine, but we can go over that once we’ve cleared out this place of the youkai, yes?”

“I’m the one clearing this place out…” Mamizou grumbled before she looked to Tojiko, and it took a moment for the tanuki to recognise her.

Likewise, Tojiko squinted her eyes at Mamizou. The bushy tail and ears threw her off at first, but her eyes lit up when she slowly came to recognise her as the woman she had bumped into the other day. 

“It’s… It’s you! Y-You’re the one who stole my cake!” Tojiko stuttered, barely containing her shaking self from yelling out every word.

“And you’re…” Mamizou’s eyes trailed down to the ghostly wisps under Tojiko’s dress, and she looked at the ghost apprehensively. “Oh dear, did… did the shock of finding that bottle kill you? I feel a bit bad about that now...”

“G-Give it back… Give me back my hopes!” Tojiko charged towards Mamizou, arrowed-shaped lightning bolts spewed out wildly from her hands.

“Woah!” Mamizou ducked out of the way and continued to fly away from Tojiko, dodging incoming bolts the whole time. “I’m really sorry, but one of my pals ate the thing when I wasn’t looking!”

“Then what are you going to do about all my stress?! All of my crushed dreams!?” Tojiko shouted back, throwing her all into the bolts she projected. For the first time in a long while, she had a target to take out her frustrations on, and she was going to get as much out of it as she could.

Seiga watched in a bit of awe. She was slightly curious about Tojiko’s state of mind, but she wasn’t going to pass up the convenient distraction. Thus, she discreetly moved to the side of her ill-obtained statue, intending to whisk it away from here with a spell.

All the while, the three tanuki were all on the verge of giving up on Mamizou’s instructions and just running away, especially as Yoshika continued to torment them. “You’re all so furry. Terrible texture! It will make my tongue and throat itchy.”

“You’re going to eat us!?” One of the tanuki yelled out, throwing one of the crates right at Yoshika’s face, not that the jiang-shi even flinched from the impact.

While the three tanuki are in the midst of freaking out, Futo charged right up to the lot of them, eager to assist her allies. Not that Yoshika was facing any trouble, but Futo felt compelled to jump in all the same.

“Halt, all of you! You treacherous youkai who would interfere with our Crown Prince’s commemoration… I shall vanquish all of you with my flames!” She shouted dramatically before raising her arms and getting a growing sphere of fire in her hands. “I will set you aflame like Sakuraiji!”

From a distance, Seiga noticed Futo out of the corner of her eye and saw what she was about to do. “Wait!” She turned toward Futo and held out a hand, trying to call out. “Mononobe, don’t do that there-!”

Either Futo didn’t hear Seiga or was already too committed to her action, because she let loose the magically-created flames towards the tanuki. They all leapt out of the way… and the flames landed directly upon the several crates worth of fireworks. 

The fireworks all ignited in an instant.

“Oh.” Futo uttered in realisation.

Seconds later, the fireworks all went flying and in absolutely every direction. 

The resulting series of colourful explosions was disorientating to everybody both due to the sparks falling everywhere, but also all sound being drowned out by the loud crackling and bursting. It didn’t help that some of the fireworks didn’t even shoot out in straight lines, but twisted all around in unpredictable paths.

Futo covered her ears, shouting “My mistake!” which nobody else could even hear. Seiga ducked for cover. The tanukis were scrambling, one of their tails even catching aflame. Yoshika simply stood in place, staring in awe at the flurry of sparks. 

“What in the…!?” Mamizou, upon nearly having a firework crash right into her, also quickly went low to the ground to find cover as well. 

“Don’t run away-! ...Huh?” Tojiko, who was tailing Mamizou closely from behind however, noticed just a little too late all the violent spray of rockets before one came flying directly towards her.

It exploded right in front of her. 

Everything in Tojiko’s world went black as the ghost was sent falling into the nearby well.

-

_ The image of her face came to me, and she looked at me with such sad eyes. The thought of her being concerned for my well-being… it just saddened me now. As I was laying on her lap, I looked up at her face, it’s radiance muddied by the clouds in the sky. _

_ “Are you alright, Tojiko?” _

_ “Crown Prince… I am fine.” I responded in a tired voice. I wasn’t even trying to sound convincing. _

_ “I’m afraid I cannot believe that. I can hear it, you know… The doubt in your heart.” _

_ “...Yes, I suppose you would.” _

_ “Do you…” She looked at me with tears in her eyes. I remembered that I have seen her cry before. I hope it wasn’t because of me. “Do you no longer wish to be by my side?” _

_ I reached out and stroked her face. I think I know what I want to say to her. “I have never regretted devoting myself to you. ...But I don’t know if that’s for the best anymore. I’m weighed down by all sorts of phantoms, and I would just drag you down with me too.” _

_ “Tojiko… I will always willing to carry any burdens you have, Tojiko.” _

_ “I’m sorry… but I’m not as selfish as you want me to be.” _

-

Tojiko opened her eyes, and closed them right away when she was met with a bright light shining right onto her face. Her whole body, as ethereal as it was, felt even more numb than usual. So disoriented was she, that she couldn’t tell right away whether her body was floating in the air, or lying in water-

No, she realised then that she was actually lying back-first in shallow water. She opened her eyes again, the inner walls of the well encircled her. She could see the distant opening where light shined down. All the sounds and happenings of outside seemed so far away and out of reach.

Surrounded by walls on all sides with her senses dulled… It felt familiar, comfortably so even, like she was back where she belonged. It didn’t seem like a bad place to rest her eyes for as long as she liked, which she was about to do so before she heard a voice echoing down at her.

“Tojiko!” Futo called out as she flew down to the bottom of the well, her feet landing in the water as she walked up beside where Tojiko was. “Are you alright? Are you able to move?”

“I’m fine...” Tojiko said tiredly. “It’s not like I have any bones to break.”

She slowly raised herself up so that she was now at least sitting up right, and then looked up at the well’s opening. 

“I guess I better get back out there.”

“...Must you?” Futo was looking almost as gloomy as Tojiko as she spoke. “I do not believe Miss Seiga is fighting for the sake of your cake-related matters, nor will vanquishing that tanuki provide you with any solutions. Furthermore… I’ve never seen you act like this ‘celebration’ was an exciting prospect for you. You’ve only ever looked sorrowful when you talked of it.”

“...So what, are you suggesting I just leave them be?”

“Perhaps I am. To me, it just looks as if you’ve been hurting yourself over this, repeatedly and perpetually.”

“I… didn’t expect to hear that from you.” Tojiko said, lifting herself from the ground so she could float upright. “You, who’s always so eager to act for the Crown Prince’s sake. I would have thought you’d find what I’ve been doing impressive or something.”

“I might have, if I could believe what you are saying!”

“What…?” Tojiko just stared perplexed at Futo’s words.

“Even though you claim you do it for the Crown Prince’s sake, you never sound like you are happy about it! I’ve never sensed a hint of either pride or joy from you, not once since I have awoken from my deep sleep… Do you feel as if you have no choice? As if you are cursed to-”

“You couldn’t be more wrong.” Tojiko pointed a weary glare at Futo as she spoke. “I’m doing this, _ all of this _ because I hope I can find some ‘pride’ or ‘joy’ or whatever from it! I thought if I just kept devoting myself to making Miko happy, something would click inside me! But it hasn’t!”

Tojiko slammed the bottom of her fist down on the water’s surface.

“I… I always fantasised about how things would be when you both woke up, about when I finally left that dark tomb! ...But it’s been nothing like those fantasies, and I can’t make them happen!”

Tojiko took several heavy breaths, craning her head upwards and letting the light from above fall over her face. The light was warm and seemed to promise something nicer than the damp well. It made Tojiko wince.

The freedom and theoretical possibilities that the world offered her seemed cruel when she felt like she was no better off being trapped in a dark mausoleum. 

...And a deeper part of her started to think that maybe she never should have woken up after drinking that elixir.

“Nevermind. I don’t actually care about the cake or the celebration or anything. I just want to be left alone right now.”

“At the bottom of this well?”

“Yes. Please just go.”

“...Before I do that, there’s something I wanted to ask you before.”

“What is it?” Tojiko asked, without looking at Futo.

”Does it cause you pain to be by the Crown Prince’s side?” Futo’s stern posture faltered halfway through speaking. “Or is it just being around me?”

“...To be honest.” Tojiko said quietly. “I don’t think it has anything to do with you, not anymore at least.”

“I… see. Even so, I have been thinking that ever since we awoke in this Gensokyo, you’ve never seemed content, or happy, or at peace, for even a moment. It led me to think recently that maybe you might... choose to go elsewhere.”

“Go… elsewhere?” Tojiko raised an eyebrow. She didn’t want to admit that the thought had occurred to her once or twice, but it was always pushed aside just quickly since she knew she didn’t have anywhere else to go. ...But just maybe, she really could end up being some spirit without purpose who proceeded to roam and haunt the rest of the Earth.

“If you really were unhappy being around us, and decided to go elsewhere... the Crown Prince would be greatly saddened, naturally. ...As would I.” Futo wasn’t even looking at Tojiko as she continued speaking. “Where would I be if I did not have a rival like you to stake my pride against?”

“A rival, huh?” Tojiko said, the bitterness in her voice just coming short of scoffing. “You’d ‘win’ if I were gone, wouldn’t you? You should be disappointed that I stuck around as a spirit instead of just disappearing. Then you’d be the only one the Crown Prince could rely on.”

Hearing that, Futo’s sullen expression gave way to an angry glare directed towards Tojiko.

“Am I wrong?”

“Do you really think the Crown Prince would ever want me by her side if I really did take you away from her? I was ready for whatever punishment she would have for me, once she awoke to see that you had not survived!” 

Tojiko glared back at Futo, both anger and surprise rising in her from each word she was hearing. 

“Even if it meant being banished from her presence, or to fall to her wrath… I was ready for it!”

“You fool… You really are an _ idiot _!” She shouted, drawing closer to Futo. “If you knew Miko like I did, you would know she’d care about you too much to do that! Even if you killed me, she wouldn’t get rid of someone she wanted to go into this new life with!”

Futo recoiled, her own anger fading in place of bewilderment. “I… I would not have deserved that.”

“It doesn’t matter.” Tojiko was already calming down. Now that she spoke these facts aloud, more things were becoming clear to her, which she also voiced aloud. “Miko would have been fine with just you and Seiga. I’ve never needed to be here.” 

“...But you are here, Tojiko. Somehow, by some miraculous chance, you were there when we awoke from our deep slumber.” 

Futo smiled softly, but she wasn’t looking directly at Tojiko. Rather, she was reminiscing when she came back to life and saw Tojiko again despite never having expected it.

“I was terrified at what that meant at first, but I was also relieved… I was so relieved that I had failed.”

Tojiko starred at Futo’s face, then recalled the faces she saw when her two allies awoke in that tomb. Both Miko and Futo were in shock over her ghostly form, but soon after that came how glad they were that Tojiko was there. And although it wasn’t the explosion of emotion she expected from herself, Tojiko remembered that she felt glad too. 

“It almost felt like the world was being too generous to me, like my actions would meet no consequence after all.” 

Futo continued on, her smile fading and her own eyes were starting to water. 

“But now It feels like you are going to disappear after all. Is the loss of your body too much after all? If you are not satisfied with how you are... then you should be taking it out on me!”

“What? I…” Tojiko was taken aback when Futo started shouting, but she didn’t have anything to say back to that. She had just resigned to the fact that she may not have a purpose among her their circle of hermits, but at the same time…

“I am the reason you exist in this world the way you do! If you need a reason to stay, then you can hate me all you want!”

Tojiko listened to Futo, who was passionately shouting at her, and all she could think about was how much the pale-haired hermit’s astoundingly foolish, immature and naive demeanour hadn’t changed.

“Do you need to take revenge against me? Do whatever you need to, if it’ll keep you from leaving! You must have had some dreams about taking revenge against your murderer, do you not?! You should work to make that a reality then!”

“...I don’t want that.” Tojiko said quietly, slowly shaking her head.

“How come!? I took your life, didn’t I!?” Futo approached Tojiko, grabbing her by the arms and ended up pushing both of them towards one of the walls of the well. “That’s a purpose right there, isn’t it?! I’ll face you head-on any day and any time, so come at me and-!”

“I don’t _ want to _!” She yelled out at the top of her voice.

Tojiko brought her own hands over Futo’s shoulders, catching the hermit by surprise. She wore an intensely pensive expression on her face, as if she were still arguing with herself before she finally spoke again.

“...I meant all of what I said to you the first time. I don’t care that I’m a ghost, and I don’t much care about our past. The last thing I want is a life of being weighed down by that.”

“But Tojiko-”

“But...” Tojiko continued, applying a firmer grip on Futo’s shoulders. “I don’t want to just up and leave the only things I know behind. If… If you really want to help me make my dreams come true, then it should be a dream towards a brighter future, not one with nothing but vengeance on the mind.”

The edge in Futo’s expression faltered at that. “What kind of future is that, then?”

“...The one we agreed on all those centuries ago, where we do our best towards a new and happy, neverending life as hermits.” A small, bitter smile then formed on Tojiko’s face. “Well, three hermits and a ghost.”

“I...” Futo stared in awe at Tojiko, the words getting caught in her throat for a moment.

“We’ll keep each other in check, okay?”

“...I’d like that.” Futo finally replied, cracking a smile below her teary eyes.

Tojiko let go, and the two of them stepped back from each other. They each allowed themselves to let go of the tension that their bodies were holding in. It was almost enough to make Futo’s legs buckle under her.

“So what do you wish to do now?” Futo asked.

“I still really want to make that tanuki return my cake though, or at least refund my purchase.” Tojiko moved past Futo, looking up to the sky where sounds of action could still be heard. “My pride is at stake, and I really did want to give Miko a nice treat for her birthday, if nothing else.”

“...When did you start speaking so casually of the Crown Prince anyhow?” Futo raised an eyebrow, not entirely pleased with the way Tojiko spoke Miko’s name like that. “You really have changed a lot.”

“Nah, you’re just seeing a different side of me.” Tojiko met Futo’s frown with a smile. “Now come on, let’s get out of here.”

-

After the long series of explosions subsided, the three tanuki that Mamizou brought with her had fled for their lives, and Seiga’s undead servant was currently out of commission after having taken a firework directly to the face.

Mamizou and Seiga were forced to rely on themselves for the remainder of their duel, and the end result…

“Oof!” Seiga fell on the ground, her dress disheveled and her veil slightly torn. She rubbed her sore bottom and looked up to see her opponent floating proudly in the air.

Mamizou smiled down at Seiga. The tanuki had successfully transformed the statue into a small idol-like object for easier transportation, which she now held in her hand.

“Um.. Is there still a chance we can come to a deal? You let me borrow that statue for, I don’t know, a newborn? Is that something you’d find a use for?” Seiga asked, not too hopeful but she had to give it one last shot.

“No thank you, I’ll just be taking this with me.”

It was then that the both of them noticed the reappearance of Tojiko, drenching wet but none the worse for wear. 

“Hold it.” Tojiko addressed Mamizou, significantly calmer than before but still every bit as serious. “There’s still a matter I have to settle with you.”

Mamizou turned to Tojiko in surprise. “I was thinking that rocket had killed you. ...again, I mean. I understand you’re a ghost seeking vengeance and all-”

“That’s not it! I mean, I don’t really consider myself a vengeful spirit anymore, but you caused me a lot of stress for what you pulled the other day, and I need you to recompense!”

“This day just keeps getting longer than I expect it to...“ Mamizou sighed to herself, before tucking the statue-turned idol under her arm and making another declaration. “Fine then, I’ll acknowledge your grudge. You’ll know better than to challenge a tanuki once I’ve shown you my ten-game match of-”

The tanuki didn’t make it to the end of her sentence before higher above in the air, came an even louder declaration.

“Take this, youkai! Inscribe into your body my secret, _ surprise _ Mononobe arts!” Futo shouted before unleashing a flurry of magically-constructed winds.

Mamizou only barely managed to move out of the way of the incoming blades of wind. “Is everyone in your group absolutely manic?!”

“She’s just the type to act without thinking!” Tojiko shouted back in response, proceeding to follow suit by flying low and firing off arrow-shaped bolts in the direction Mamizou was dodging towards.

The bolts came right at Mamizou, who tried to spin out of the way at the last second. The last of the bolts however, just barely grazed her and ended up hitting the object she had tucked under her arm, knocking it out of her grip and into the air. “Ah…!”

“Ah!” Seiga yelped as she saw this took place. “Miss Tojiko! You need to catch that!”

“Huh? Uh, okay-” Tojiko flew quickly to align herself with the falling object… before she watched it transform in mid-air back into the large stone statue. “...Yeah, no.”

Tojiko moved out of the way, and the statue crashed into the ground, shattering into several pieces with a series of thumps.

“Oh…” All four people present looked upon the broken statue pieces uneasily, as they all floated down to ground level.

“Well, nice going.” Seiga narrowed her eyes disappointingly to Tojiko. “You could have easily broken it’s fall with your soft, ghostly body."

“Oh, I’m _ so _ sorry.” Tojiko snapped back at Seiga. “How about the next time a large object made of stone is coming my way, I’ll use _ your _ body to soften it’s landing?”

“I just want to make certain we all have the same understanding.” Futo spoke up, looking between everyone else. “...That I am definitely not at fault here.”

Seiga threw up her hands. “Well, it doesn’t really matter who’s at fault-”

“It’s you.” Tojiko interjected, which Seiga ignored.

“-now absolutely nobody wins and everybody has lost.”

“I’m pretty certain…” Mamizou spoke up. Though she tried to maintain a smile, one might have been able to pinpoint the strain of irritation in her voice towards the levels of audaciousness on display by these Taoists. “...the only ones who are ‘losing’ here are the folks at the temple!”

“...Wait.” Tojiko, with a new clarity in her eyes, turned to address Mamizou. “Maybe we can help each other. At this point, our groups have both suffered a transgression from the other. Your temple’s statue has been destroyed, and my cake has been devoured.”

“That… really doesn’t seem like equal-”

“But, allow us to make up for this. Our group has the resources and skills to repair and resculpt your Buddha as it previously was, and we’ll do just that.”

“Wait, really?” Futo and Seiga both said in unison, prompting Tojiko to straighten up and reaffirm herself.

“It was a statue of Bishamonten, actually. Anyway, do you really mean that?” Mamizou couldn’t help but be skeptical. Though she hadn’t gotten the sense that Tojiko was anything but a strait-laced type, it still sounded too good to be true.

“You have my word. I’m not one to fib about such things. We’ll fix and return your statue… if you make up for your transgression as well.” Tojiko said, pointing right at Mamizou with a resolute look in her eyes.

“Oh! It’s been so long since I’ve seen your skilled diplomacy!” Futo couldn’t help but excitedly comment. “Miss Seiga, we must make sure to put our all into this exchange.”

“So now on top of ruining my project, you’ve given me homework...” Seiga said in a dismissive tone, but the rest could tell she wasn’t actually upset.

“Alright… I’ll trust you lot for now. Or at least, I’ll trust you.” Mamizou nodded to Tojiko in agreement. “And I guess I’ll pay for your cake?”

“That’s hardly equivalent!” Futo suddenly declared. “If we’re to make up for our mistake through craftsmanship, then you must do the same! Present upon us a new celebratory dessert crafted by your own hands! Use your bizarre youkai abilities to make it if you must!”

“I don’t have any cake-making powers!” Mamizou replied, wearily.

“Um, Futo...” Tojiko spoke, just as wearily. "I’m fine with her just paying-... Wait.”

Tojiko turned back to Mamizou and suddenly drew closer, prompting the tanuki to take a step back. “Woah, what?”

“Forget about the cake, or paying for it. I’d like a favour instead.” Tojiko asked, smiling at the thought that she just came upon.


	6. Chapter 6

“I admit, I’m surprised.” Miko said as she walked alongside Seiga into the dojo’s main hall that evening. “I didn’t think you’d settle for something as small as a simple party with just the few of us.”

“Even I know when I’m beat. My plans didn’t work out, it happens. As long as you’re satisfied, I’m fine with celebrating your first birthday as hermit with a modest party like this.”

They had entered the hall. Set up on the side was a table that had multiple plates of dishes laid out across the top. It was admittedly only slightly larger and more elaborate than their mealtimes usually were, but it was enough for Miko to get the impression that this was a special occasion.

“It works very well.” Miko said as she looked ahead of her, a simple white banner had been pinned up on a wall. It had a message painted on it in big bold letters saying ‘ _ Congratulations On Beating Mortality Forever! _ ’.

“Oh gosh.” It was a crude and silly banner, but Miko couldn’t help but grin, especially since she recognised the handiwork. “You write that, Futo?”

Standing at the other end of the room was Futo, who responded while proudly and dramatically gesturing to the banner. “Indeed! My calligraphy hasn’t slipped in the last millennium! Oh, but hold your excitement for this next bit...” 

Futo then moved out of sight into one of the other rooms. That’s when Yoshika walked up to Miko’s side and greeted her.

“I heard someone was born today! Are you the baby?” Yoshika flashed a toothy smile that was probably responsible for scaring off at least a dozen humans before. “I will give my blessings!”

“That’s correct! I’m no baby, but I’m grateful all the same.” Miko grinned and gave Yoshika a pat on the head.

Yoshika nodded in satisfaction, then turned her attention to the table of food. It was then that Miko noticed that Tojiko still wasn’t present… Yet someone else was.

“Um…” Miko turned to Mamizou, who was standing in one corner and helping herself to a plate of tofu. “T-Thank you for coming?”

“Oh, the pleasure is mine, Miss Crown Prince. It’s a nice place you have here.” Mamizou replied casually with friendly smile, before eating more tofu. 

“...Seiga.” Miko whispered beside her, utterly confused. “Why is there a tanuki in our dojo? And also at my birthday party?”

“It’s a long story, but the gist of it is that she helped us set some things up, so she was invited. No need to pay her any mind.”

“Seriously? ...Okay then.” That wasn’t at all a satisfying answer, but Miko chose to put off dwelling on it since nobody else seemed bothered by it.

Futo returned to the room, wheeling in a cart, but it was what was on top of the cart that made Miko’s eyes lit up with interest.

“Wow…” Miko looked in awe at the green layered-caked that was almost as tall as she was. It even had about a dozen lit candles adorning it. As she stared, she spoke to Seiga who was standing next to her. “You actually managed it after all?”

“Actually… this bit ended up being Miss Tojiko’s idea. Maybe… don’t get too excited about eating it right away?”

“I know how to restrain myself, don’t worry.” Miko walked right up to the large cake. “I heard of this part, I’m supposed to make a wish before blowing out the candles right?”

“You are meant to intentionally blow them out?” Futo asked in puzzlement. “It’s so much more dazzling like this though.”

Miko laughed softly and nodded her head. “That is true, but I think it’ll be harder for all of us to eat it if it were still on fire.” She then looked around for a moment. “Speaking of all of us, where is Tojiko?”

“Good question.” Seiga said nonchalantly. “Maybe your wish should be for her to appear already.”

“Oh, yes!” Futo nodded at Miko excitedly. “Summon her with your good-will, Crown Prince! That will be a worthwhile sacrifice of these splendid flames.”

“Okay, sure. Not like I was going to wish for never-ending peace or good health…” Miko laughed and shrugged her shoulders. 

Miko then stood up on her tiptoes, and with a strong huff, blew out the candles placed at the top of the cake. 

“There we go. ...Though, if you two don’t mind waiting, I think I’m just going to go look for Tojiko. It doesn’t feel right that she isn't here-”

Miko was suddenly cut off by the small burst of smoke right in front of her. About three quarters of the cake’s entire height vanish in place of a cardboard cylinder with a leaf on top. The cylinder broke apart, and out popped somebody who had been lying in wait inside the fake cake.

“Wha-” Miko had began to exclaim when the smoke appeared, but was immediately showered upon by a dense cloud of confetti, forcing her to shield her face. “Agh! Seiga, what did you do!?”

“I wish it was me.” Seiga said wistfully from off to the side.

“I admit, I was happy to help with this cute idea.” Mamizou commented as she also watched from the side.

“A-ah, sorry!” A panicked voice said, which Miko recognised right away as Tojiko’s. “Maybe I should have popped out more gently…?”

“Huh? Tojiko?” Miko lowered her arms and brushed away most of the confetti from her face. “Where are you- ...Oh!” 

Miko opened her eyes to see Tojiko floating above the now much smaller cake. Tojiko herself was smiling sheepishly down at her. She had replaced her hat in favour of a red flower tied onto her hair, and her dress had and more flower petals around her waist. After a moment of staring back, Tojiko finally spoke. 

“Happy birthday, Miko, and…” 

At that moment, Tojiko’s eyes spotted the large banner out of the corner of her eye. 

“Uh, congratulations on beating mortality-...” She then couldn’t help but burst into a small laugh. “Futo!”

“What? It’s a perfectly festive message worth boasting!” Futo said with vigour, ready to defend her banner with all her honour.

“Fine, whatever.” Tojiko managed to push down another chuckle before turning to Miko with a soft smile, and floated closer to her. “I decided to stop worrying about the cake, or presenting any kind of ‘proof’ of my devotion. I’m here to present you with the only gift that mattered.” 

“Tojiko...” Miko returned a similar, serene smile.

“...It’s myself, I’m the gift. I’ll only say that aloud once.” Tojiko averted her eyes as a blush crept up among her features. “You better not say you’d have preferred a big cake after all.”

“Of course not! But this is so much more theatrical than I ever expected from you.” Miko couldn’t stop beaming at Tojiko. 

“Well, don’t expect me to make a habit of it. I wanted to make sure you knew that I’m here for you, always. There’s no doubt in my mind or heart about that.”

“I see… But Tojiko-”

“And before you even think of it, it isn’t at all because I feel like I ‘must’, or that I don’t have any other option. I’ve desired to live a new, wonderful life with both you and Futo for a long time, and I’m going to do what I can to make those dreams come true. Which means...”

Tojiko floated beside Miko, brushing more confetti out of her hair. 

“I will make sure you act like the proper and reliable Crown Prince I dreamed of meeting.”

“That sounds good… I’ll be sure not to let you down.”

“I know you won’t. Because I’m going to be much more strict with you from now on, and with how I evaluate you.”

“Uh, right, okay, but… We’re celebrating me as I am right now, correct? So could you just let loose for today… and maybe a few days afterwards?” Miko asked, her radiant smile hiding just the tracest hints of worry.

“What I’m hearing is ‘Tojiko, why don’t you start reprimanding me right now?’, is that right?” Tojiko gave a very pointed smile towards Miko, who averted meeting Tojiko’s eyes.

“A-Ahaha… W-Well, I’m very happy to hear all that Tojiko. I’ve honestly missed that side of you.” As nervous as she was, Miko meant what she said sincerely, even if she was ready to say goodbye to her lackadaisical days around Senkai.

“As am I!” Futo rushed up beside Tojiko. “With us both by the Crown Prince’s side, we are certain to be an invincible unit who will overcome any and all the universe may set out for us.”

“Don’t go forgetting about the linchpin to all your successes now.” Seiga said, coming up beside Miko. “I’ll also look forward to seeing what all my fellow eternally youthful friends will get up to.”

“Seiga…” Tojiko’s warm expression was replaced by a frown as she floated right up to Seiga, face-to-face with the hermit. 

“My, my, why are giving me that face all of a sudden? You were so much prettier a second ago, the way you were looking at Miss Toyosatomimi.”

“Don’t think I’ve forgotten about the troubles your whims have caused all of us, not just today but throughout all time. If you’re going to ally yourself with Miko, I’ll be making sure you keep your troublemaking to a minimum too.”

“ _ Huh _ , that’s funny...” Seiga tapped her cheek in a feigned confusion before meeting Tojiko straight-on with an impish smile. “I don’t remember ever answering to  _ you _ , Miss Tojiko.”

Miko awkwardly cleared her throat and inserted herself in between Tojiko and Seiga. “I-I’m happy for both of your support.” 

She then turned to Seiga specifically, who hadn’t backed off her locked gaze with Tojiko.

“But you know, Seiga… Our Tojiko is out of her slump, and is a new version of herself, just like the rest of us. So I bet she’ll actually listen and appreciate it if you apologised.”

“Excuse me?” Seiga raised an eyebrow at Miko, who moved beside Tojiko, gesturing at the ghost.

“You don’t need to act coy around her! I know you’d rather be sincere instead, so go on and tell her you’re sorry!” Miko grinned brightly at Seiga, who was looking at Miko in disbelief. “Also it’s my birthday, so you have to do what I say.”

“That is not a rule.” Seiga sassed back, but didn’t have it in her to keep fighting the way Miko was looking at her. 

Seiga looked at Tojiko, who was in turn looking at her quizzically, not knowing what to expect. 

“I’m  _ sorry _ .” She said, barely making any effort to hide the curt tone of her words.

“See? That wasn’t so hard-”

“I’ll have to reconsider-” Seiga kept going. “-how my actions will make this new, more understanding Tojiko feel.”

Miko quickly spoke out of worry. “Okay, you can stop-”

“I’d hate for you to feel inferior when compared to my acts of affection. Or maybe, you might find yourself jealous of Miss Toyosatomimi and wish I’d show my love to you too?” Seiga asked, her expression more cat-like then Miko had seen in a long while.

“Hmph.” Tojiko actually smirked. “I understand now.”

“You do?” Miko said in shock, and for a moment thought that maybe they weren’t headed for disaster after all. 

“I understand that the first thing I have to do… is to teach you how to properly express regret!”

And then Tojiko lunged at Seiga, who yelped as she was being put into a chokehold by the ghost.

“Ah…” Miko just stared resignedly as the two wrestled. 

At the same time, Futo gasped at the struggle. “How dare you fools make a spectacle of yourselves during this distinguished celebration! My Mononobe Arts will humble you!” 

“You really don’t have to-” Miko almost begged, but Futo didn’t hear her. And by ‘arts’, Futo meant just charging at the two, which she did. 

“Huh?!” Both Tojiko and Seiga turned their heads to a charging Futo. They both shrieked as they were tackled and knocked down, though the only thing that really changed was that their conflict now had a plus-one, and it was moved to the floor.

“Oof! My luscious mane… A-anyway, cease at once, the both of you!”

“Agh! Futo, get your foot off my- ”

“Mononobe, you’re crushing my- Urgh!”

“I am doing nothing! Your hairpin is poking against- Ow!”

Miko looked between the messy pile of three tangling bodies all trying and failing to push each other off one another. She then noticed the jiang-shi, who had already consumed a third of the food off the table.

She turned her head to Mamizou who had been watching in silence. With an impassive expression as she ate from her plate, the tanuki addressed Miko.

“...You have some really interesting friends there.”

“Don’t I know it.” Miko said with a content smile.

Tojiko eventually gave up, slumping to the floor as Futo and Seiga were still struggling on top of her lower body. As she laid back-first on the ground, she caught a glimpse of Miko looking at her with that content smile, and she couldn’t help but smile back. Absolutely none of this was how Tojiko expected this day to go, but she couldn’t claimed to be unsatisfied.

Tojiko didn’t have the ability to hear Miko’s desires, but she had had a good feeling that they were both thinking the exact same thing:

“ _ I couldn’t ask for better people to spend the rest of history with. That’s something worth celebrating everyday. _ ”


End file.
